Emily Dickinson Lexicon

HAND'LE, v.t. [G. handeln, D. handelen, Sw. handla, Dan. handler, to treat, to trade, to negotiate. But in English it has not the latter signification. The word is formed from hand, as manage from L. manus.]

1. To touch; to feel with the hand; to use or hold with the hand. The bodies we daily handle – hinder the approach if part of our hands that press them. – Locke.
2. To manage; to use; to wield. That fellow handles a bow like a crow-keeper. – Shak.
3. To make familiar by frequent touching. The breeders in Flanders – handle their colts six months every year. – Temple.
4. To treat; to discourse on; to discuss; to use or manage in writing or speaking. The author handled the subject with address. The speaker handled the arguments to the best advantage.
5. To use; to deal with; to practice. They that handle the law knew me not. – Jer. ii.
6. To treat; to use well or ill. How wert thou handled? – Shak.
7. To manage; to practice on; to transact with. You shall see how I will handle her. – Shak.

HAND'LE-A-BLE, a.

That may be handled. – Sherwood.

HAND'LEAD, n.

A lead for sounding.

HAND'LED, pp.

Touched; treated; managed.

HAND'LESS, a.

Without a hand. – Shak.

HAND'LING, n.

A touching or use by the hand; a treating in discussion.

HAND'LING, ppr.

Touching; feeling; treating; managing.

HAND'-LOOM, n.

A weaver's loom worked by the hand.

HAND'MAID, or HAND'MAID-EN, n.

A maid that waits at hand; a female servant or attendant. – Scripture.

HAND'MILL, n.

A mill moved by the hand. – Dryden.

HAND'SAILS, n.

Sails managed by the hand. – Temple.

HAND'SAW, n.

A saw to be used with the hand. – Mortimer.

HAND'SCREW, n.

An engine for raising heavy timbers or weights; a jack.

HAND'SEL, n. [Dan. handsel; Sax. handselen, from handsyllan, to deliver into the hand. See Sale and Sell.]

1. The first act of using any thing; the first sale. – Elyot.
2. An earnest; money for the first sale. [Little used.] – Hooker.

HAND'SEL, v.t.

To use or do any thing the first time. Dryden.

HAND'SEL-ED, pp.

Used, or done for the first time.

HAND'SOME, a. [D. handzaam, soft, limber, tractable; hand and zaam, together. Zaam, or saam, we see in assemble. The sense of docility is taken from hand, as in G. behandeln, D. behandelen, to handle, to manage. The Dutch sense of soft, limber, is probably from the sense of easily managed or handled.]

1. Properly, dextrous; ready; convenient. For a thief it is so handsome, as it may seem it was first invented for him. Spenser. This sense is either from the original meaning of hand, or from the use of the hand, or rather of the right hand. In this sense the word is still used. We say of a well fought combat and victory, it is a handsome affair, an affair well performed, done with dexterity or skill. [See Handy.]
2. Moderately beautiful, as the person or other thing; well made; having symmetry of parts; well formed. It expresses less than beautiful or elegant; as a handsome woman or man; she has a handsome person or face. So we say, a handsome house; a handsome type.
3. Graceful in manner; marked with propriety and ease; as, a handsome address.
4. Ample; large; as, a handsome fortune.
5. Neat; correct; moderately elegant; as, a handsome style or composition.
6. Liberal; generous; as, a handsome present. The applications of this word in popular language are various and somewhat indefinite. In general, when applied to things, it imports that the form is agreeable to the eye, or to just taste; and when applied to manner, it conveys the idea of suitableness or propriety with grace.

HAND'SOME, v.t. [as a verb]

to render neat or beautiful, is not an authorized word. Donne.

HAND'SOME-LY, adv.

1. Dextrously; cleverly; with skill. Spenser.
2. Gracefully; with propriety and ease.
3. Neatly; with due symmetry or proportions; as, a thing is handsomely made or finished.
4. With a degree of beauty; as, a room handsomely furnished or ornamented.
5. Amply; generously; liberally. She is handsomely endowed.

HAND'SOME-NESS, n.

1. A moderate degree of beauty or elegance; as, the handsomeness of the person or of an edifice.
2. Grace; gracefulness; ease and propriety in manner.

HAND'SOM-ER, a. [comp.]

More handsome.

HAND'SOM-EST, a. [superl.]

Most handsome.

HAND'SPIKE, n.

A wooden bar, used with the hand as a lever, for various purposes, as in raising weights, heaving about a windlass, &c.

HAND'STAFF, n.

A javelin; [plur. Handstaffs.] – Ezek. xxxix.

HAND'STROKE, n. [hand and stroke.]

A blow or stroke given by the hand. – Beaum.