| 释义 |
▪ I. handsel, hansel, n.|ˈhændsəl, ˈhænsəl|
Forms: 3 handselne, (handsselle), 4 hancel, 5 hanselle, 5–7 hansell, 6 hansselle, 6–7 handsell, 6– hansel, handsel.
[The form corresponds to OE. handselen glossed ‘mancipatio’ (giving into the hands of another), or to ON. handsal, ‘giving of the hand, promise or bargain confirmed by joining or shaking hands’, also, in same sense, handseld; cf. OSw. handsal, Sw. handsöl money, etc. handed over to any one, gratuity, ‘tip’. But though there are some quotations (sense 2 b) which may have the simple sense of ‘gift’, the general notions of ‘omen, gift to bring good luck, luck-penny, auspicious inauguration or first use’, which run through the English uses of the word, are not accounted for by the sense of these OE. and ON. words. Cf. however Da. handsel ‘handsel, earnest-money’, also Ger. handgeld, handgift, handkauf, and esp. F. étrenne, OF. estreine, the senses of which are exactly parallel to our 2, 3, 4.
c1050Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 449/29 Mancipatio, handselen.]
†1. Lucky prognostic, omen, presage, augury; token or omen of good luck. Obs.
c1200Vices & Virtues 29 Sum oðer dwel hie driueð, and seggeð þat he nafde naht gode han(d)sselle ðe him þat sealde. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 11 Warienge and handselne and time and hwate and fele swilche deueles craftes. 1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 369 Of hancel y can no skylle also, Hyt ys nouȝt to beleve þarto..For many hauyn glade hancel at þe morw And to hem or euyn comþ mochyl sorw. c1475Partenay 4885 Where the Erle shold haue ill hansell anon. 1500Ortus Vocab., Strena est bona sors, Anglice hansell. 1573Twyne æneid x. Ee ij, æneas first the rusticke sort sets on For happy hansils sake [omen pugnæ]. 1579–80North Plutarch To Rdr. (1676) Av b, Among the cries of good handsell [Amyot, cris d'heureux presage] and the wishes of good luck..one was; Happier be thou than Augustus. 1681Glanvill Sadducismus ii. (1726) 305 He had it [a pewter dish] from Alice Duke for good Handsel for his Daughter, who had lately lain in.
2. A gift or present (expressive of good wishes) at the beginning of a new year, or on entering upon any new condition, situation, or circumstances, the donning of new clothes, etc.; originally, deemed to be auspicious, or to ensure good luck for the new year, etc. [= L. strena, F. étrenne.]
13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 66 Syþen riche forth runnen to reche honde-selle, Ȝeȝed ȝeres ȝiftes on hiȝ, ȝelde hem bi hond. Ibid. 491 This hanselle hatz Arthur of auenturus on fyrst, In ȝonge ȝer. 1375Barbour Bruce v. 120 Sic hansell to the folk gaf he Richt in the first begynnyng, Newly at his ariwyng. 1500–20Dunbar New Year's Gift to King iii, God giue the guid prosperitie..In hansell of this guid new ȝeir. c1530in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems 38 Iuellis pricious cane y non fynde..To sende you..þis newe yeres morowe, Wher-for lucke and good hansselle My herte y sende you. c1532G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 945 To geve the first hansel, estrinér. 1650Fuller Pisgah ii. ix. 189 The Syrian Kings civilly tendered their service, to give it as good handsell to so good a work. 1723De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 22 As it was the first time..he took 1l. 5s. from my part, and told me I should give him that for handsel. 1784Burns ‘There was a lad’ ii, 'Twas then a blast o' Janwar' win' Blew hansel in on Robin. 1831Carlyle Sart. Res. i. ix, Neighbour after neighbour gave thee as handsel, silver or copper coins. 1856Ld. Cockburn Mem. ii. (1874) 95 About the New Year..every child had got its handsel, and every farthing of every handsel was spent there. 1883Longm. Mag. Apr. 656 It was the immemorial custom for servants to receive handsel or first gifts of the year on this day.
†b. Gift, present, given on any occasion; reward.
1390Gower Conf. II. 373 If I might ought of love take, Such hansel have I nought forsake. 1399Langl. Rich. Redeles iv. 91 Some..were be-hote hansell if þey helpe wold To be seruyd sekirly of þe same siluere. 1513Douglas æneis ix. x. 104 Sik bodword heir the twys takyn Troianis Sendis for hansell to Rutilianis.
†c. ironically. A ‘dressing’ given or received.
1470–85Malory Arthur viii. xvi, Anon with lytel myght he was leyd to the erthe, And as I trowe sayd sir Sagramore ye shal haue the same handsel that he hadde. 1583Rich Phylotus & Emelia (1835) 29 That your daughter should bestowe suche hansell on her housband as she hath alreadie bestowed vpon me.
3. A first instalment of payment; earnest money; the first money taken by a trader in the morning, a luck-penny; anything given or taken as an omen, earnest, or pledge of what is to follow.
[a1400Sir Beues 3109 (MS. A.) Her þow hauest liþer haunsel, A worse þe be-tide schel.] 1569Golding Heminges Post. Ded. 4 Accept this Booke as a first hansell. 1571Campion Hist. Irel. i. (1633) 60 Take this..but for hansell, the gaine is to come. 1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lvi §11 The apostles terme it sometime..the pledge of our heauenly inheritance, sometime the hansell or earnest of that which is to come. 1614B. Jonson Barth. Fair ii. ii, Bring him a sixe penny bottle of Ale; they say, a fooles handsell is lucky. 1630Massinger Renegado i. iii, Nothing, sir—but pray Your worship to give me hansell. 1787Grose Prov. Gloss. Superstitions 64 It is a common practice among the lower class of hucksters, pedlars, or dealers..on receiving the price of the first goods sold that day, which they call hansel, to spit on the money, as they term it, for good luck. 1809R. Langford Introd. Trade 132 Hansel, a small sum on account, confirming the agreement. 1851Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 369 ‘Who'll give me a handsel—who'll give me a handsel?’
4. The first use, experience, trial, proof, or specimen of anything; first taste, foretaste, first fruits: often with the notion of its being auspicious of what is to follow.
1573Twyne æneid xi. Gg iij, Here now remaine the spoiles, and hansell, of the hautie kinge [de rege superbo Primitiæ] Mezentius loe here lies. 1589Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 71 Had not Samela passed by..he should like inough haue had first handsell of our new Shepheards sheepehooke. 1601Holland Pliny II. 504 But this Perillus was the first himselfe that gaue the hansell to the engine of his own inuention. 1639Horn & Rob. Gate Lang. Unl. lxi. §655 That a novice, or young beginner, which sets up a trade, may give a taste, hansell or tryall of his skill to the Masters of the Company. 1730Fielding Rape upon Rape iii. iii, I have not seen one Prisoner brought in for a Rape this Fortnight, except your Honour. I hope your handsel will be lucky. 1837Lockhart Scott Oct. an. 1818 Such was the handsel, for Scott protested against its being considered as the house heating of the new Abbotsford. 1868Atkinson Cleveland Gloss., Handsel, hansel..the first use of anything, from a shop to a new implement, of whatever kind.
5. attrib. and Comb. handsel Monday, the first Monday of the year (usually according to Old Style), on which New Year's handsel is given. (Sc.)
1585Higins tr. Junius' Nomenclator 80 The first bridall banket after the wedding daye: the good handzell feast. 1788Burns ‘I'll kiss thee yet’ ii, Young Kings upon their hansel throne, Are no sae blest as I am, O! 1793Statist. Acc. Scotl. V. 66 Besides the stated fees, the master [of the parochial school] receives some small gratuity, generally 2d. or 3d. from each scholar on handsel Monday. 1795Ibid. XV. 201 note, On the evening of Handsel Monday, as it is called..some of his neighbours came to make merry with him. 1815Scott Guy M. xxxii, Grizy has..maybe a bit compliment at Hansel Monanday. 1825Brockett N.C. Gloss., Hansel-Monday, the first Monday in the New Year, when it is customary to make children and servants a present.
▪ II. handsel, v.
[f. handsel n.]
1. trans. To give handsel to (a person); to present with, give, or offer, something auspicious at the commencement of the year or day, the beginning of an enterprise, etc.; to inaugurate the new year to (any one) with gifts, or the day to (a dealer) by being his first customer; to present with earnest-money or a luck-penny in auspication of an engagement or bargain.
c1430Pilgr. Lyf. Manhode ii. cxviii. (1869) 119 It [a horn] hath be maad euere sithe j was born. And of him I was hanselled [de li je fu estrenée]. 1483Cath. Angl. 174/1 To Hanselle, strenare, arrare. 1530Palsgr. 578/2, I hansell one, I gyve him money in a mornyng for suche wares as he selleth, je estrene. 1583T. Stocker Hist. Civ. Warres Lowe C. i. 153 Being in this sort hanseled with a newyeeres gift. 1611Cotgr., Estrener, to handsell, or bestow a New-yeares gift on. c1645Howell Lett. (1650) II. Jan. 1641 The Vote, Then let me something bring May hansell the New-Year to Charles my King. Mod. Sc. When I was at school, the custom of handselling the master on Handsel Monday still flourished in Scotland.
2. To inaugurate with some ceremony or observance of an auspicious nature; to auspicate.
1600–62I. T. Grim the Collier ii. in Hazl. Dodsley VIII. 426 Let's in, and handsel our new mansion-house With a carousing round of Spanish wine. 1636C. Fitzgeffrey Holy Transport. (1881) 189 Who com'st from heauen to blisse the earth, To handsel with thy bloud thy blessed birth. 1645Rutherford Tryal & Tri. of Faith (1845) 207 That they may handsel the new throne with acts of mercy. 1661Morgan Sph. Gentry iii. ix. 101 Romulus having hanselled it with his brother's blood made it an asylum for all commers. 1677W. Hubbard Narrative ii. (1865) 44 Capt. Samuel Holioke handseled his Office with the Slaughter of four or five of the Enemy. 1746Mrs. Delany Let. to Mrs. Dewes in Life & Corr. 437 Having ordered Mr. Langhorne to send in a little wine to your cellar at Welsbourne, by way of hanselling a new place. 1881Besant & Rice 10 Years' Tenant, etc. Sweet Nelly I. 200 I wanted to present her with something to hansel friendship.
b. fig. (ironical).
1583T. Stocker Hist. Civ. Warres Lowe C. ii. 52 He was by and by handsled with a Pistoll. 1611Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xxiv. 274 The Gallies were assayled by Sir John Winkefield, who with his small ships so hanselled their sides, as they were forced to creepe by the Shore. 1632Brome Court Beggar ii. i. Wks. 1873 I. 200 Take heede I begin not now, and handsell your Ladies house..and your gentle⁓woman's presence here with a fist about your eares. 1699Farquhar Constant Couple iii. v, I'll hansel his woman's clothes for him!
3. To inaugurate the use of; to use for the first time; to be the first to test, try, prove, taste.
1605Chapman, etc. Eastward Ho ii. i, My lady..is so ravished with desire to hansel her new coach. 1612T. Taylor Comm. Titus i. 8 Haman shall hansell his owne gallowes. 1746Tom Thumb's Trav. Eng. & Wales 104 The Earl of Morton, who erected the Scotch Maiden, was himself the first who hansell'd it. 1841Brewster Mart. Sc. iii. iii. (1856) 202 However, we hanselled your cup. 1873F. Hall Mod. Eng. ii. 35 No expression was ever yet used which some one had not to handsel. 1892Dobson 18th C. Vignettes 34 Joseph Warton had handselled them [Spence's unpublished ‘Anecdotes’] for his ‘Essay on Pope.’
Hence ˈhandselling vbl. n.
1885Black White Heather iii, A more substantial hand⁓selling of good luck. |