Chapter CCIV: Foreword: Fore"word`, n (25)

Defn: A straight line considered as drawn from a center to an indefinite distance in one direction, the complete ray being the whole line drawn to an indefinite distance in both directions.

HALF-READ Half"-read`, a.

Defn: Informed by insufficient reading; superficial; shallow. Dryden.

HALF SEAS OVER Half" seas` o`ver.

Defn: Half drunk. [Slang: used only predicatively.] Spectator.

HALF-SIGHTED Half"-sight`ed, a.

Defn: Seeing imperfectly; having weak discernment. Bacon.

HALF-SISTER Half"-sis`ter, n.

Defn: A sister by one parent only.

HALF-STRAINED Half"-strained`, a.

Defn: Half-bred; imperfect. [R.] "A half-strained villain." Dryden.

HALF-SWORD Half"-sword`, n.

Defn: Half the length of a sword; close fight. "At half-sword." Shak.

HALF-TIMBERED Half"-tim`bered, a. (Arch.)

Defn: Constructed of a timber frame, having the spaces filled in with masonry; -- said of buildings.

HALF TONE; HALF-TONE Half tone, or Half"-tone`, n.

1. (Fine Arts) (a) An intermediate or middle tone in a painting, engraving, photograph, etc.; a middle tint, neither very dark nor very light. (b) A half-tone photo-engraving.

2. (Music) A half step.

HALF-TONE Half"-tone`, a.

Defn: Having, consisting of, or pertaining to, half tones; specif. (Photo-engraving),

Defn: pertaining to or designating plates, processes, or the pictures made by them, in which gradation of tone in the photograph is reproduced by a graduated system of dotted and checkered spots, usually nearly invisible to the unaided eye, produced by the interposition between the camera and the object of a screen. The name alludes to the fact that this process was the first that was practically successful in reproducing the half tones of the photograph.

HALF-TONGUE Half"-tongue`, n. (O. Law)

Defn: A jury, for the trial of a fore foreigner, composed equally of citizens and aliens.

HALFWAY Half"way`, adv.

Defn: In the middle; at half the distance; imperfectly; partially; as, he halfway yielded. Temples proud to meet their gods halfway. Young.

HALFWAY Half"way`, a.

Defn: Equally distant from the extremes; situated at an intermediate point; midway. Halfway covenant, a practice among the Congregational churches of New England, between 1657 and 1662, of permitting baptized persons of moral life and orthodox faith to enjoy all the privileges of church membership, save the partaking of the Lord's Supper. They were also allowed to present their children for baptism. -- Halfway house, an inn or place of call midway on a journey.

HALF-WIT Half"-wit`, n.

Defn: A foolish; a dolt; a blockhead; a dunce. Dryden.

HALF-WITTED Half"-wit`ted, a.

Defn: Weak in intellect; silly.

HALF-YEARLY Half"-year`ly, a.

Defn: Two in a year; semiannual. -- adv. Twice in a year; semiannually.

HALIBUT Hal"i*but (;277), n. Etym: [OE. hali holy + but, butte, flounder; akin to D. bot, G. butte; cf. D. heilbot, G. heilbutt. So named as being eaten on holidays. See Holy, Holiday.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large, northern, marine flatfish (Hippoglossus vulgaris), of the family Pleuronectidæ. It often grows very large, weighing more than three hundred pounds. It is an important food fish. [Written also holibut.]

HALICHONDRIAE Hal`i*chon"dri*æ, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of sponges, having simple siliceous spicules and keratose fibers; -- called also Keratosilicoidea.

HALICORE Hal"i*core (; L.), n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: Same as Dugong.

HALIDOM Hal"i*dom, n. Etym: [AS. haligd holiness, sacrament, sanctuary, relics; halig holy + -d, E. -dom. See Holy.]

1. Holiness; sanctity; sacred oath; sacred things; sanctuary; -- used chiefly in oaths. [Archaic] So God me help and halidom. Piers Plowman. By my halidom, I was fast asleep. Shak.

2. Holy doom; the Last Day. [R.] Shipley.

HALIEUTICS Hal`i*eu"tics, n. Etym: [L. halieuticus pertaining to fishing, Gr.

Defn: A treatise upon fish or the art of fishing; ichthyology.

HALIMAS; HALMAS Ha`li"mas, Hal"mas, a. Etym: [See Hallowmas.]

Defn: The feast of All Saints; Hallowmas. [Obs.]

HALIOGRAPHER Ha`li*og"ra*pher ( or ), n.

Defn: One who writes about or describes the sea.

HALIOGRAPHY Ha`li*og"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy.]

Defn: Description of the sea; the science that treats of the sea.

HALIOTIS Ha`li*o"tis ( or ), n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of marine shells; the ear-shells. See Abalone.

HALIOTOID Ha"li*o*toid` ( or ), a. Etym: [Haliots + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the genus Haliotis; ear-shaped.

HALISAURIA Hal`i*sau"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: The Enaliosauria.

HALITE Ha"lite ( or ), n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: Native salt; sodium chloride.

HALITUOUS Ha*lit"u*ous, a. Etym: [L. halitus breath, vapor, fr. halare to breathe: cf. F. halitueux.]

Defn: Produced by, or like, breath; vaporous. Boyle.

HALK Halk, n.

Defn: A nook; a corner. [Obs.] Chaucer.

HALL Hall, n. Etym: [OE. halle, hal, AS. heal, heall; akin to D. hal, OS. & OHG. halla, G. halle, Icel. hölt, and prob. from a root meaning, to hide, conceal, cover. See Hell, Helmet.]

1. A building or room of considerable size and stateliness, used for public purposes; as, Westminster Hall, in London.

2. (a) The chief room in a castle or manor house, and in early times the only public room, serving as the place of gathering for the lord's family with the retainers and servants, also for cooking and eating. It was often contrasted with the bower, which was the private or sleeping apartment. Full sooty was her bower and eke her hall. Chaucer. Hence, as the entrance from outside was directly into the hall: (b) A vestibule, entrance room, etc., in the more elaborated buildings of later times. Hence: (c) Any corridor or passage in a building.

3. A name given to many manor houses because the magistrate's court was held in the hall of his mansion; a chief mansion house. Cowell.

4. A college in an English university (at Oxford, an unendowed college).

5. The apartment in which English university students dine in common; hence, the dinner itself; as, hall is at six o'clock.

6. Cleared passageway in a crowd; -- formerly an exclamation. [Obs.] "A hall! a hall!" B. Jonson.

Syn. -- Entry; court; passage. See Vestibule.

HALLAGE Hall"age (; 48), n. (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: A fee or toll paid for goods sold in a hall.

HALLELUIAH; HALLELUJAH Hal`le*lu"iah, Hal`le*lu"jah, n. & interj. Etym: [Heb. See Alleluia.]

Defn: Praise ye Jehovah; praise ye the Lord; -- an exclamation used chiefly in songs of praise or thanksgiving to God, and as an expression of gratitude or adoration. Rev. xix. 1 (Rev. Ver. ) So sung they, and the empyrean rung With Hallelujahs. Milton. In those days, as St. Jerome tells us,"any one as he walked in the fields, might hear the plowman at his hallelujahs." Sharp.

HALLELUJATIC Hal`le*lu*jat"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or containing, hallelujahs. [R.]

HALLIARD Hal"liard, n.

Defn: See Halyard.

HALLIDOME Hal"li*dome, n.

Defn: Same as Halidom.

HALLIER Hal"li*er ( or ), n. Etym: [From Hale to pull.]

Defn: A kind of net for catching birds.

HALL-MARK Hall"-mark`, n.

Defn: The official stamp of the Goldsmiths' Company and other assay offices, in the United Kingdom, on gold and silver articles, attesting their purity. Also used figuratively; -- as, a word or phrase lacks the hall-mark of the best writers.

HALLOA Hal*loa".

Defn: See Halloo.

HALLOO Hal*loo", n. Etym: [Perh. fr. ah + lo; cf. AS. eala, G. halloh, F. haler to set (a dog) on. Cf. Hollo, interj.]

Defn: A loud exclamation; a call to invite attention or to incite a person or an animal; a shout. List! List! I hear Some far off halloo break the silent air. Milton.

HALLOO Hal*loo", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Hallooed; p. pr. & vb. n. Halloing.]

Defn: To cry out; to exclaim with a loud voice; to call to a person, as by the word halloo. Country folks hallooed and hooted after me. Sir P. Sidney.

HALLOO Hal*loo", v. t.

1. To encourage with shouts. Old John hallooes his hounds again. Prior.

2. To chase with shouts or outcries. If I fly . . . Halloo me like a hare. Shak.

3. To call or shout to; to hail. Shak.

HALLOO Hal*loo", interj. Etym: [OE. halow. See Halloo, n.]

Defn: An exclamation to call attention or to encourage one.

HALLOW Hal"low, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hallowed(); p. pr. & vb. n. Hallowing.] Etym: [OE. halowen, halwien, halgien, AS. halgian, fr. halig holy. See Holy.]

Defn: To make holy; to set apart for holy or religious use; to consecrate; to treat or keep as sacred; to reverence. "Hallowed be thy name." Matt. vi. 9. Hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work therein. Jer. xvii. 24. His secret altar touched with hallowed fire. Milton. In a larger sense . . . we can not hallow this ground [Gettysburg]. A. Lincoln.

HALLOWEEN Hal`low*een", n.

Defn: The evening preceding Allhallows or All Saints' Day. [Scot.] Burns.

HALLOWMAS Hal"low*mas, n. Etym: [See Mass the eucharist.]

Defn: The feast of All Saints, or Allhallows. To speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas. Shak.

HALLOYSITE Hal*loy"site, n. Etym: [Named after Omalius d'Halloy.] (Min.)

Defn: A claylike mineral, occurring in soft, smooth, amorphous masses, of a whitish color.

HALLSTATT; HALLSTATTIAN Hall"statt, Hall*stat"ti*an, a.

Defn: Of or pert. to Hallstatt, Austria, or the Hallstatt civilization. -- Hallstatt, or Hallstattian, civilization, a prehistoric civilization of central Europe, variously dated at from 1000 to 1500 b. c. and usually associated with the Celtic or Alpine race. It was characterized by expert use of bronze, a knowledge of iron, possession of domestic animals, agriculture, and artistic skill and sentiment in manufacturing pottery, ornaments, etc.

The Hallstattian civilization flourished chiefly in Carinthia, southern Germany, Switzerland, Bohemia, Silesia, Bosnia, the southeast of France, and southern Italy. J. Deniker.

-- H. epoch, the first iron age, represented by the Hallstatt civilization.

HALLUCAL Hal"lu*cal, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the hallux.

HALLUCINATE Hal*lu"ci*nate, v. i. Etym: [L. hallucinatus, alucinatus, p. p. of hallucinari, alucinari, to wander in mind, talk idly, dream.]

Defn: To wander; to go astray; to err; to blunder; -- used of mental processes. [R.] Byron.

HALLUCINATION Hal*lu`ci*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. hallucinatio cf. F. hallucination.]

1. The act of hallucinating; a wandering of the mind; error; mistake; a blunder. This must have been the hallucination of the transcriber. Addison.

2. (Med.)

Defn: The perception of objects which have no reality, or of sensations which have no corresponding external cause, arising from disorder or the nervous system, as in delirium tremens; delusion. Hallucinations are always evidence of cerebral derangement and are common phenomena of insanity. W. A. Hammond.

HALLUCINATOR Hal*lu"ci*na`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One whose judgment and acts are affected by hallucinations; one who errs on account of his hallucinations. N. Brit. Rev.

HALLUCINATORY Hal*lu"ci*na*to*ry, a.

Defn: Partaking of, or tending to produce, hallucination.

HALLUX Hal"lux, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. hallex, allex.] (Anat.)

Defn: The first, or preaxial, digit of the hind limb, corresponding to the pollux in the fore limb; the great toe; the hind toe of birds.

HALM Halm, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Haulm.

HALMA Hal"ma, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Greek Antiq.)

Defn: The long jump, with weights in the hands, -- the most important of the exercises of the Pentathlon.

HALO Ha"lo, n.; pl. Halos(. Etym: [L. halos, acc. halo, Gr. volvere, and E. voluble.]

1. A luminous circle, usually prismatically colored, round the sun or moon, and supposed to be caused by the refraction of light through crystals of ice in the atmosphere. Connected with halos there are often white bands, crosses, or arches, resulting from the same atmospheric conditions.

2. A circle of light; especially, the bright ring represented in painting as surrounding the heads of saints and other holy persons; a glory; a nimbus.

3. An ideal glory investing, or affecting one's perception of, an object.

4. A colored circle around a nipple; an areola.

HALO Ha"lo, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Haloed; p. pr. & vb. n. Haloing.]

Defn: To form, or surround with, a halo; to encircle with, or as with, a halo. The fire That haloed round his saintly brow. Sothey.

HALOED Ha"loed, a.

Defn: Surrounded with a halo; invested with an ideal glory; glorified. Some haloed face bending over me. C. Bronté.

HALOGEN Hal"o*gen, n. Etym: [Gr. "a`ls, "alo`s, salt + -gen: cf. F. halogène.] (Chem.)

Defn: An electro-negative element or radical, which, by combination with a metal, forms a haloid salt; especially, chlorine, bromine, and iodine; sometimes, also, fluorine and cyanogen. See Chlorine family, under Chlorine.

HALOGENOUS Ha*log"e*nous, a.

Defn: Of the nature of a halogen.

HALOID Ha"loid ( or ), a. Etym: [Gr. "a`ls, "alo`s salt + -oid: cf. F. cal.] (Chem.)

Defn: Resembling salt; -- said of certain binary compounds consisting of a metal united to a negative element or radical, and now chiefly applied to the chlorides, bromides, iodides, and sometimes also to the fluorides and cyanides. -- n.

Defn: A haloid substance.

HALOMANCY Hal"o*man`cy, n.

Defn: See Alomancy.

HALOMETER Ha*lom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. "a`ls, "alo`s, salt + -meter.]

Defn: An instrument for measuring the forms and angles of salts and crystals; a goniometer.

HALONES Ha*lo"nes, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Alternating transparent and opaque white rings which are seen outside the blastoderm, on the surface of the developing egg of the hen and other birds.

HALOPHYTE Hal"o*phyte, n. Etym: [Gr. "a`ls, "alo`s, salt + (Bot.)

Defn: A plant found growing in salt marshes, or in the sea.

HALOSCOPE Ha"lo*scope, n. Etym: [Halo + -scope.]

Defn: An instrument for exhibition or illustration of the phenomena of halos, parhelia, and the like.

HALOTRICHITE Hal*o*tri"chite, n. Etym: [Gr. "a`ls sea + fri`x, tricho`s, hair.] (Min.)

Defn: An iron alum occurring in silky fibrous aggregates of a yellowish white color.

HALOXYLINE Ha*lox"y*line, n. Etym: [Gr. "a`ls, "alo`s, salt + xy`lon wood.]

Defn: An explosive mixture, consisting of sawdust, charcoal, niter, and ferrocyanide of potassium, used as a substitute for gunpowder.

HALP Halp, imp. of Help.

Defn: Helped. [Obs.]

HALPACE Hal"pace, n. (Arch.)

Defn: See Haut pas.

HALS Hals, n. Etym: [AS. heals; akin to D., G., & Goth. hals. See Collar.]

Defn: The neck or throat. [Obs.] Do me hangen by the hals. Chaucer.

HALSE Halse, v. t. Etym: [AS. healsian.]

1. To embrace about the neck; to salute; to greet. [Obs.] Each other kissed glad And lovely halst. Spenser.

2. To adjure; to beseech; to entreat. [Obs.] O dere child, I halse thee, In virtue of the Holy Trinity. Chaucer.

HALSE Halse, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Halsed (hlst); p. pr. & vb. n. Halsing.] Etym: [Cf. Hawser.]

Defn: To haul; to hoist. [Obs.]

HALSENING Hal"sen*ing, a.

Defn: Sounding harshly in the throat; inharmonious; rough. [Obs.] Carew.

HALSER Hals"er, n.

Defn: See Hawser. Pope.

HALT Halt,

Defn: 3d pers. sing. pres. of Hold, contraction for holdeth. [Obs.] Chaucer.

HALT Halt, n. Etym: [Formerly alt, It. alto, G. halt, fr. halten to hold. See Hold.]

Defn: A stop in marching or walking, or in any action; arrest of progress. Without any halt they marched. Clarendon. [Lovers] soon in passion's war contest, Yet in their march soon make a halt. Davenant.

HALT Halt, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Halted; p. pr. & vb. n. Halting.]

1. To hold one's self from proceeding; to hold up; to cease progress; to stop for a longer or shorter period; to come to a stop; to stand still.

2. To stand in doubt whether to proceed, or what to do; to h How long halt ye between two opinions 1 Kings xviii. 21

HALT Halt, v. t. (Mil.)

Defn: To cause to cease marching; to stop; as, the general halted his troops for refreshment.

HALT Halt, a. Etym: [AS. healt; akin to OS., Dan., & Sw. halt, Icel. haltr, halltr, Goth. halts, OHG. halz.]

Defn: Halting or stopping in walking; lame. Bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. Luke xiv. 21.

HALT Halt, n.

Defn: The act of limping; lameness.

HALT Halt, v. i. Etym: [OE. halten, AS. healtian. See Halt, a.]

1. To walk lamely; to limp.

2. To have an irregular rhythm; to be defective. The blank verse shall halt for it. Shak.

HALTER Halt"er, n.

Defn: One who halts or limps

HALTER Hal"ter, n. Etym: [OE. halter, helter, helfter, AS. hælftre; akin to G. halfter, D. halfter, halster, and also to E. helve. See Helve.]

Defn: A strong strap or cord. Especially: (a) A rope or strap, with or without a headstall, for leading or tying a horse. (b) A rope for hanging malefactors; a noose. Shak. No man e'er felt the halter draw With good opinion of the law. Trumbull.

HALTER Hal"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Haltered; p. pr. & vb. n. Haltering.]

Defn: To tie by the neck with a rope, strap, or halter; to put a halter on; to subject to a hangman's halter. "A haltered neck." Shak.

HALTERES Hal*te"res, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Balancers; the rudimentary hind wings of Diptera.

HALTER-SACK Hal"ter-sack`, n.

Defn: A term of reproach, implying that one is fit to be hanged. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

HALTINGLY Halt"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a halting or limping manner.

HALVANS Hal"vans, n. pl. (Mining)

Defn: Impure ore; dirty ore.

HALVE Hal"ve, n.

Defn: A half. [Obs.] Chaucer.

HALVE Halve, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Halved; p. pr. & vb. n. Halving.] Etym: [From Half.]

1. To divide into two equal parts; as, to halve an apple; to be or form half of. So far apart their lives are thrown From the twin soul that halves their own. M. Arnold.

2. (Arch.)

Defn: To join, as two pieces of timber, by cutting away each for half its thickness at the joining place, and fitting together.

HALVED Halved, a.

Defn: Appearing as if one side, or one half, were cut away; dimidiate.

HALVES Halves, n.,

Defn: pl. of Half. By halves, by one half at once; halfway; fragmentarily; partially; incompletely. I can not believe by halves; either I have faith, or I have it not. J. H. Newman. To go halves. See under Go.

HALWE Hal"we, n. Etym: [OE., fr. AS. halga. See Holy.]

Defn: A saint. [Obs.] Chaucer.

HAL'YARD; HALYARD Hal'yard, n. Etym: [Hale, v. t. + yard.] (Naut.)

Defn: A rope or tackle for hoisting or lowering yards, sails, flags, etc. [Written also halliard, haulyard.]

HALYSITES Hal`y*si"tes, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of Silurian fossil corals; the chain corals. See Chain coral, under Chain.

HAM Ham, n.

Defn: Home. [North of Eng.] Chaucer.

HAM Ham, n. Etym: [AS. ham; akin to D. ham, dial. G. hamme, OHG. hamma. Perh. named from the bend at the ham, and akin to E. chamber. Cf. Gammon ham.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: The region back of the knee joint; the popliteal space; the hock.

2. The thigh of any animal; especially, the thigh of a hog cured by salting and smoking. A plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak ham. Shak.

HAMADRYAD Ham"a*dry`ad, n.; pl. E. Hamadryads, L. Hamadryades. Etym: [L. Hamadryas, -adis, Gr. hamadryade. See Same, and Tree.]

1. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: A tree nymph whose life ended with that of the particular tree, usually an oak, which had been her abode.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large venomous East Indian snake (Orhiophagus bungarus), allied to the cobras.

HAMADRYAS Ha*ma"dry*as, n. Etym: [L., a hamadryad. See Hamadryad.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The sacred baboon of Egypt (Cynocephalus Hamadryas).

HAMAL Ha*mal", n. [Written also hammal, hummaul, hamaul, khamal, etc.] [Turk. & Ar. hammal, fr. Ar. hamala to carry.]

Defn: In Turkey and other Oriental countries, a porter or burden bearer; specif., in Western India, a palanquin bearer.

HAMAMELIS Ham`a*me"lis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of plants which includes the witch-hazel (Hamamelis Virginica), a preparation of which is used medicinally.

HAMATE Ha"mate, a. Etym: [L. hamatus, fr. hamus hook.]

Defn: Hooked; bent at the end into a hook; hamous.

HAMATED Ha"ma*ted, a.

Defn: Hooked, or set with hooks; hamate. Swift.

HAMATUM Ha*ma"tum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. hamatus hooked.] (Anat.)

Defn: See Unciform.

HAMBLE Ham"ble, v. t. Etym: [OE. hamelen to mutilate, AS. hamelian; akin to OHG. hamal to mutilate, hamal mutilated, ham mutilated, Icel. hamla to mutilate. Cf.Ham to fetter.]

Defn: To hamstring. [Obs.]

HAMBURG Ham"burg, n.

Defn: A commercial city of Germany, near the mouth of the Elbe. Black Hamburg grape. See under Black. -- Hamburg , a kind of embroidered work done by machinery on cambric or muslin; -- used for trimming. -- Hamburg lake, a purplish crimson pigment resembling cochineal.

HAME Hame, n.

Defn: Home. [Scot. & O. Eng.]

HAME Hame, n. Etym: [Scot. haims, hammys, hems, OE. ham; cf. D. haam.]

Defn: One of the two curved pieces of wood or metal, in the harness of a draught horse, to which the traces are fastened. They are fitted upon the collar, or have pads fitting the horse's neck attached to them.

HAMEL Ham"el, v. t. [Obs.]

Defn: Same as Hamele.

HAMESECKEN; HAMESUCKEN Hame"seck`en, Hame"suck`en, n. Etym: [AS. hams. See Home, and Seek.] (Scots Law)

Defn: The felonious seeking and invasion of a person in his dwelling house. Bouvier.

HAMFATTER Ham"fat`ter, n. [From a negro minstrel song called "The ham-fat man."]

Defn: A low-grade actor or performer. [Theatrical Slang]

HAMIFORM Ha"mi*form, n. Etym: [L. hamus hook + -form.]

Defn: Hook-shaped.

HAMILTON PERIOD Ham"il*ton pe"ri*od. (Geol.)

Defn: A subdivision of the Devonian system of America; -- so named from Hamilton, Madison Co., New York. It includes the Marcellus, Hamilton, and Genesee epochs or groups. See the Chart of Geology.

HAMINURA Ham`i*nu"ra, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large edible river fish (Erythrinus macrodon) of Guiana.

HAMITE Ha"mite, n.Etym: [L. hamus hook.] (Paleon.)

Defn: A fossil cephalopod of the genus Hamites, related to the ammonites, but having the last whorl bent into a hooklike form.

HAMITE Ham"ite, n.

Defn: A descendant of Ham, Noah's second son. See Gen. x. 6-20.

HAMITIC Ham*it"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to Ham or his descendants. Hamitic languages, the group of languages spoken mainly in the Sahara, Egypt, Galla, and Somâli Land, and supposed to be allied to the Semitic. Keith Johnson.

HAMLET Ham"let, n. Etym: [OWE. hamelet, OF. hamelet, dim. of hamel, F. hameau, LL. hamellum, a dim. of German origin; cf. G. heim home. sq. root220. See Home.]

Defn: A small village; a little cluster of houses in the country. The country wasted, and the hamlets burned. Dryden.

Syn. -- Village; neighborhood. See Village.

HAMLETED Ham"let*ed, p. a.

Defn: Confined to a hamlet. Feltham.

HAMMER Ham"mer, n. Etym: [OE. hamer, AS. hamer, hamor; akin to D. hamer, G. & Dan. hammer, Sw. hammare, Icel. hamarr, hammer, crag, and perh. to Gr. a stone.]

1. An instrument for driving nails, beating metals, and the like, consisting of a head, usually of steel or iron, fixed crosswise to a handle. With busy hammers closing rivets up. Shak.

2. Something which in firm or action resembles the common hammer; as: (a) That part of a clock which strikes upon the bell to indicate the hour. (b) The padded mallet of a piano, which strikes the wires, to produce the tones. (c) (Anat.) The malleus. See under Ear. (Gun.)

Defn: That part of a gunlock which strikes the percussion cap, or firing pin; the cock; formerly, however, a piece of steel covering the pan of a flintlock musket and struck by the flint of the cock to ignite the priming. (e) Also, a person of thing that smites or shatters; as, St. Augustine was the hammer of heresies. He met the stern legionaries [of Rome] who had been the "massive iron hammers" of the whole earth. J. H. Newman. Atmospheric hammer, a dead-stroke hammer in which the spring is formed by confined air. -- Drop hammer, Face hammer, etc. See under Drop, Face, etc. -- Hammer fish. See Hammerhead. -- Hammer hardening, the process of hardening metal by hammering it when cold. -- Hammer shell (Zoöl.), any species of Malleus, a genus of marine bivalve shells, allied to the pearl oysters, having the wings narrow and elongated, so as to give them a hammer-shaped outline; -- called also hammer oyster. -- To bring to the hammer, to put up at auction.

HAMMER Ham"mer, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hammered; p. pr. & vb. n. Hammering.]

1. To beat with a hammer; to beat with heavy blows; as, to hammer iron.

2. To form or forge with a hammer; to shape by beating. "Hammered money." Dryden.

3. To form in the mind; to shape by hard intellectual labor; -- usually with out. Who was hammering out a penny dialogue. Jeffry.

HAMMER Ham"mer, v. i.

1. To be busy forming anything; to labor hard as if shaping something with a hammer. Whereon this month I have hammering. Shak.

2. To strike repeated blows, literally or figuratively. Blood and revenge are hammering in my head. Shak.

HAMMERABLE Ham"mer*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being formed or shaped by a hammer. Sherwood.

HAMMER-BEAM Ham"mer-beam`, n. (Cothic Arch.)

Defn: A member of one description of roof truss, called hammer-beam truss, which is so framed as not to have a tiebeam at the top of the wall. Each principal has two hammer-beams, which occupy the situation, and to some extent serve the purpose, of a tiebeam.

HAMMER BREAK Ham"mer break. (Elec.)

Defn: An interrupter in which contact is broken by the movement of an automatically vibrating hammer between a contact piece and an electromagnet, or of a rapidly moving piece mechanically driven.

HAMMERCLOTH Ham"mer*cloth`, n. Etym: [Prob. fr. D. hemel heaven, canopy, tester (akin to G. himmel, and perh. also to E. heaven) + E. cloth; or perh. a corruption of hamper cloth.]

Defn: The cloth which covers a coach box.

HAMMER-DRESSED Ham"mer-dressed`, a.

Defn: Having the surface roughly shaped or faced with the stonecutter's hammer; -- said of building stone.

HAMMERER Ham"mer*er, n.

Defn: One who works with a hammer.

HAMMER-HARDEN Ham"mer-hard`en, v. t.

Defn: To harden, as a metal, by hammering it in the cold state.

HAMMERHEAD Ham"mer*head`, n.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A shark of the genus Sphyrna or Zygæna, having the eyes set on projections from the sides of the head, which gives it a hammer shape. The Sphyrna zygæna is found in the North Atlantic. Called also hammer fish, and balance fish.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fresh-water fish; the stone-roller.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An African fruit bat (Hypsignathus monstrosus); -- so called from its large blunt nozzle.

HAMMERKOP Ham"mer*kop, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bird of the Heron family; the umber.

HAMMER-LESS Ham"mer-less, a. (Firearms)

Defn: Without a visible hammer; -- said of a gun having a cock or striker concealed from sight, and out of the way of an accidental touch.

HAMMER LOCK Hammer lock. (Wrestling)

Defn: A hold in which an arm of one contestant is held twisted and bent behind his back by his opponent.

HAMMERMAN Ham"mer*man, n.; pl. Hammermen (.

Defn: A hammerer; a forgeman.

HAMMOCHRYSOS Ham`mo*chry"sos, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. chryso`s gold.]

Defn: A stone with spangles of gold color in it.

HAMMOCK Ham"mock, n. Etym: [A word of Indian origin: cf. Sp. hamaca. Columbus, in the Narrative of his first voyage, says: "A great many Indians in canoes came to the ship to-day for the purpose of bartering their cotton, and hamacas, or nets, in which they sleep."]

1. A swinging couch or bed, usually made of netting or canvas about six feet wide, suspended by clews or cords at the ends.

2. A piece of land thickly wooded, and usually covered with bushes and vines. Used also adjectively; as, hammock land. [Southern U. S.] Bartlett. Hammock nettings (Naut.), formerly, nets for stowing hammocks; now, more often, wooden boxes or a trough on the rail, used for that purpose.

HAMOSE; HAMOUS Ha*mose", Ha"mous,Etym: [L. hamus hook.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the end hooked or curved.

HAMPER Ham"per, n. Etym: [Contr. fr. hanaper.]

Defn: A large basket, usually with a cover, used for the packing and carrying of articles; as, a hamper of wine; a clothes hamper; an oyster hamper, which contains two bushels.

HAMPER Ham"per, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hampered; p. pr. & vb. n. Hampering.]

Defn: To put in a hamper.

HAMPER Ham"per, v. t. Etym: [OE. hamperen, hampren, prob. of the same origin as E. hamble.]

Defn: To put a hamper or fetter on; to shackle; to insnare; to inveigle; hence, to impede in motion or progress; to embarrass; to encumber. "Hampered nerves." Blackmore. A lion hampered in a net. L'Estrange. They hamper and entangle our souls. Tillotson.

HAMPER Ham"per, n. Etym: [See Hamper to shackle.]

1. A shackle; a fetter; anything which impedes. W. Browne.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: Articles ordinarily indispensable, but in the way at certain times. Ham. Nav. Encyc. Top hamper (Naut.), unnecessary spars and rigging kept aloft.

HAMSHACKLE Ham"shac`kle, v. t. Etym: [Ham + shackle.]

Defn: To fasten (an animal) by a rope binding the head to one of the fore legs; as, to hamshackle a horse or cow; hence, to bind or restrain; to curb.

HAMSTER Ham"ster, n. Etym: [G. hamster.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European rodent (Cricetus frumentarius). It is remarkable for having a pouch on each side of the jaw, under the skin, and for its migrations.

HAMSTRING Ham"string`, n. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the great tendons situated in each side of the ham, or space back of the knee, and connected with the muscles of the back of the thigh.

HAMSTRING Ham"string`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hamstrung; p. pr. & vb. n. Hamstringing. See String.]

Defn: To lame or disable by cutting the tendons of the ham or knee; to hough; hence, to cripple; to incapacitate; to disable. So have they hamstrung the valor of the subject by seeking to effeminate us all at home. Milton.

HAMULAR Ham"u*lar, a.

Defn: Hooked; hooklike; hamate; as, the hamular process of the sphenoid bone.

HAMULATE Ham"u*late, a.

Defn: Furnished with a small hook; hook-shaped. Gray.

HAMULE Ham"ule, n. Etym: [L. hamulus.]

Defn: A little hook.

HAMULOSE Ham"u*lose", a. Etym: [L. hamulus, dim. of hamus a hook.]

Defn: Bearing a small hook at the end. Gray.

HAMULUS Ham"u*lus, n.; pl. Hamuli (. Etym: [L., a little hook.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: A hook, or hooklike process.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A hooked barbicel of a feather.

HAN Han, Etym: contr. inf. & plural pres. of Haven.

Defn: To have; have. [Obs.] Piers Plowman. Him thanken all, and thus they han an end. Chaucer.

HANAP Han"ap, n. Etym: [F. hanap. See Hanaper.]

Defn: A rich goblet, esp. one used on state occasions. [Obs.]

HANAPER Han"a*per, n. Etym: [LL. hanaperium a large vase, fr. hanaus vase, bowl, cup (whence F. hanap); of German origin; cf. ONG. hnapf, G. napf, akin to AS. hnæp cup, bowl. Cf. Hamper, Nappy, n.]

Defn: A kind of basket, usually of wickerwork, and adapted for the packing and carrying of articles; a hamper. Hanaper office, an office of the English court of chancery in which writs relating to the business of the public, and the returns to them, were anciently kept in a hanaper or hamper. Blackstone.

HANCE Hance, v. t. Etym: [See Enhance.]

Defn: To raise; to elevate. [Obs.] Lydgate.

HANCE; HANCH Hance, Hanch,Etym: [See Hanse.]

1. (Arch.)

Defn: See Hanse.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A sudden fall or break, as the fall of the fife rail down to the gangway.

HAND Hand, n. Etym: [AS. hand, hond; akin to D., G., & Sw. hand, OHG. hant, Dan. haand, Icel. hönd, Goth. handus, and perh. to Goth. hinpan to seize (in comp.). Cf. Hunt.]

1. That part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in man and monkeys, and the corresponding part in many other animals; manus; paw. See Manus.

2. That which resembles, or to some extent performs the office of, a human hand; as: (a) A limb of certain animals, as the foot of a hawk, or any one of the four extremities of a monkey. (b) An index or pointer on a dial; as, the hour or minute hand of a clock.

3. A measure equal to a hand's breadth, -- four inches; a palm. Chiefly used in measuring the height of horses.

4. Side; part; direction, either right or left. On this hand and that hand, were hangings. Ex. xxxviii. 15. The Protestants were then on the winning hand. Milton.

5. Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill; dexterity. He had a great mind to try his hand at a Spectator. Addison.

6. Actual performance; deed; act; workmanship; agency; hence, manner of performance. To change the hand in carrying on the war. Clarendon. Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by my hand. Judges vi. 36.

7. An agent; a servant, or laborer; a workman, trained or competent for special service or duty; a performer more or less skillful; as, a deck hand; a farm hand; an old hand at speaking. A dictionary containing a natural history requires too many hands, as well as too much time, ever to be hoped for. Locke. I was always reckoned a lively hand at a simile. Hazlitt.

8. Handwriting; style of penmanship; as, a good, bad or running hand. Hence, a signature. I say she never did invent this letter; This is a man's invention and his hand. Shak. Some writs require a judge's hand. Burril.

9. Personal possession; ownership; hence, control; direction; management; -- usually in the plural. "Receiving in hand one year's tribute." Knolles. Albinus . . . found means to keep in his hands the goverment of Britain. Milton.

10. Agency in transmission from one person to another; as, to buy at first hand, that is, from the producer, or when new; at second hand, that is, when no longer in the producer's hand, or when not new.

11. Rate; price. [Obs.] "Business is bought at a dear hand, where there is small dispatch." Bacon.

12. That which is, or may be, held in a hand at once; as: (a) (Card Playing) The quota of cards received from the dealer. (b) (Tobacco Manuf.) A bundle of tobacco leaves tied together.

13. (Firearms)

Defn: The small part of a gunstock near the lock, which is grasped by the hand in taking aim.

Note: Hand is used figuratively for a large variety of acts or things, in the doing, or making, or use of which the hand is in some way employed or concerned; also, as a symbol to denote various qualities or conditions, as: (a) Activity; operation; work; -- in distinction from the head, which implies thought, and the heart, which implies affection. "His hand will be against every man." Gen. xvi. 12.(b) Power; might; supremacy; -- often in the Scriptures. "With a mighty hand . . . will I rule over you." Ezek. xx. 33.(c) Fraternal feeling; as, to give, or take, the hand; to give the right hand. (d) Contract; -- commonly of marriage; as, to ask the hand; to pledge the hand.

Note: Hand is often used adjectively or in compounds (with or without the hyphen), signifying performed by the hand; as, hand blow or hand- blow, hand gripe or hand-gripe: used by, or designed for, the hand; as, hand ball or handball, hand bow, hand fetter, hand grenade or hand-grenade, handgun or hand gun, handloom or hand loom, handmill or hand organ or handorgan, handsaw or hand saw, hand-weapon: measured or regulated by the hand; as, handbreadth or hand's breadth, hand gallop or hand-gallop. Most of the words in the following paragraph are written either as two words or in combination. Hand bag, a satchel; a small bag for carrying books, papers, parcels, etc. -- Hand basket, a small or portable basket. -- Hand bell, a small bell rung by the hand; a table bell. Bacon. -- Hand bill, a small pruning hook. See 4th Bill. -- Hand car. See under Car. -- Hand director (Mus.), an instrument to aid in forming a good position of the hands and arms when playing on the piano; a hand guide. -- Hand drop. See Wrist drop. -- Hand gallop. See under Gallop. -- Hand gear (Mach.), apparatus by means of which a machine, or parts of a machine, usually operated by other power, may be operated by hand. -- Hand glass. (a) A glass or small glazed frame, for the protection of plants. (b) A small mirror with a handle. -- Hand guide. Same as Hand director (above). -- Hand language, the art of conversing by the hands, esp. as practiced by the deaf and dumb; dactylology. -- Hand lathe. See under Lathe. -- Hand money, money paid in hand to bind a contract; earnest money. -- Hand organ (Mus.), a barrel organ, operated by a crank turned by hand. -- Hand plant. (Bot.) Same as Hand tree (below). -- Hand rail, a rail, as in staircases, to hold by. Gwilt. -- Hand sail, a sail managed by the hand. Sir W. Temple. -- Hand screen, a small screen to be held in the hand. -- Hand screw, a small jack for raising heavy timbers or weights; (Carp.) a screw clamp. -- Hand staff (pl. Hand staves), a javelin. Ezek. xxxix. 9. -- Hand stamp, a small stamp for dating, addressing, or canceling papers, envelopes, etc. -- Hand tree (Bot.), a lofty tree found in Mexico (Cheirostemon platanoides), having red flowers whose stamens unite in the form of a hand. -- Hand vise, a small vise held in the hand in doing small work. Moxon. -- Hand work, or Handwork, work done with the hands, as distinguished from work done by a machine; handiwork. -- All hands, everybody; all parties. -- At all hands, On all hands, on all sides; from every direction; generally. -- At any hand, At no hand, in any (or no) way or direction; on any account; on no account. "And therefore at no hand consisting with the safety and interests of humility." Jer. Taylor. -- At first hand, At second hand. See def. 10 (above). -- At hand. (a) Near in time or place; either present and within reach, or not far distant. "Your husband is at hand; I hear his trumpet." Shak. (b) Under the hand or bridle. [Obs.] "Horses hot at hand." Shak. -- At the hand of, by the act of; as a gift from. "Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil" Job ii. 10. -- Bridle hand. See under Bridle. -- By hand, with the hands, in distinction from instrumentality of tools, engines, or animals; as, to weed a garden by hand; to lift, draw, or carry by hand. -- Clean hands, freedom from guilt, esp. from the guilt of dishonesty in money matters, or of bribe taking. "He that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." Job xvii. 9. -- From hand to hand, from one person to another. -- Hand in hand. (a) In union; conjointly; unitedly. Swift. (b) Just; fair; equitable. As fair and as good, a kind of hand in hand comparison. Shak. -- Hand over hand, Hand over fist, by passing the hands alternately one before or above another; as, to climb hand over hand; also, rapidly; as, to come up with a chase hand over hand. -- Hand over head, negligently; rashly; without seeing what one does. [Obs.] Bacon. -- Hand running, consecutively; as, he won ten times hand running. -- Hand off! keep off! forbear! no interference or meddling! -- Hand to hand, in close union; in close fight; as, a hand to hand contest. Dryden. -- Heavy hand, severity or oppression. -- In hand. (a) Paid down. "A considerable reward in hand, and . . . a far greater reward hereafter." Tillotson. (b) In preparation; taking place. Chaucer. "Revels . . . in hand." Shak. (c) Under consideration, or in the course of transaction; as, he has the business in hand. -- In one's hand or hands. (a) In one's possession or keeping. (b) At one's risk, or peril; as, I took my life in my hand. -- Laying on of hands, a form used in consecrating to office, in the rite of confirmation, and in blessing persons. -- Light hand, gentleness; moderation. -- Note of hand, a promissory note. -- Off hand, Out of hand, forthwith; without delay, hesitation, or difficulty; promptly. "She causeth them to be hanged up out of hand." Spenser. -- Off one's hands, out of one's possession or care. -- On hand, in present possession; as, he has a supply of goods on hand. -- On one's hands, in one's possession care, or management. -- Putting the hand under the thigh, an ancient Jewish ceremony used in swearing. -- Right hand, the place of honor, power, and strength. -- Slack hand, idleness; carelessness; inefficiency; sloth. -- Strict hand, severe discipline; rigorous government. -- To bear a hand (Naut), to give help quickly; to hasten. -- To bear in hand, to keep in expectation with false pretenses. [Obs.] Shak. -- To be hand and glove, or in glove with. See under Glove. -- To be on the mending hand, to be convalescent or improving. -- To bring up by hand, to feed (an infant) without suckling it. -- To change hand. See Change. -- To change hands, to change sides, or change owners. Hudibras. -- To clap the hands, to express joy or applause, as by striking the palms of the hands together. -- To come to hand, to be received; to be taken into possession; as, the letter came to hand yesterday. -- To get hand, to gain influence. [Obs.] Appetites have . . . got such a hand over them. Baxter. -- To got one's hand in, to make a beginning in a certain work; to become accustomed to a particular business. -- To have a hand in, to be concerned in; to have a part or concern in doing; to have an agency or be employed in. -- To have in hand. (a) To have in one's power or control. Chaucer. (b) To be engaged upon or occupied with. -- To have one's hands full, to have in hand al that one can do, or more than can be done conveniently; to be pressed with labor or engagements; to be surrounded with difficulties. -- To have, or get, the (higher) upper hand, to have, or get, the better of another person or thing. -- To his hand, To my hand, etc., in readiness; already prepared. "The work is made to his hands." Locke. -- To hold hand, to compete successfully or on even conditions. [Obs.] Shak. -- To lay hands on, to seize; to assault. -- To lend a hand, to give assistance. -- To lift, or put forth, the hand against, to attack; to oppose; to kill. -- To live from hand to mouth, to obtain food and other necessaries as want compels, without previous provision. -- To make one's hand, to gain advantage or profit. -- To put the hand unto, to steal. Ex. xxii. 8.-- To put the last, or finishing, hand to, to make the last corrections in; to complete; to perfect. -- To set the hand to, to engage in; to undertake. That the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to. Deut. xxiii. 20. -- To stand one in hand, to concern or affect one. -- To strike hands, to make a contract, or to become surety for another's debt or good behavior. -- To take in hand. (a) To attempt or undertake. (b) To seize and deal with; as, he took him in hand. -- To wash the hands of, to disclaim or renounce interest in, or responsibility for, a person or action; as, to wash one's hands of a business. Matt. xxvii. 24. -- Under the hand of, authenticated by the handwriting or signature of; as, the deed is executed under the hand and seal of the owner.

HAND Hand, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handed; p. pr. & vb. n. Handing.]

1. To give, pass, or transmit with the hand; as, he handed them the letter.

2. To lead, guide, or assist with the hand; to conduct; as, to hand a lady into a carriage.

3. To manage; as, I hand my oar. [Obs.] Prior.

4. To seize; to lay hands on. [Obs.] Shak.

5. To pledge by the hand; to handfast. [R.]

6. (Naut.)

Defn: To furl; -- said of a sail. Totten. To hand down, to transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor; as, fables are handed down from age to age; to forward to the proper officer (the decision of a higher court); as, the Clerk of the Court of Appeals handed down its decision. -- To hand over, to yield control of; to surrender; to deliver up.

HAND Hand, v. i.

Defn: To coöperate. [Obs.] Massinger.

HANDBALL Hand"ball`, n.

1. A ball for throwing or using with the hand.

2. A game played with such a ball, as by players striking it to and fro between them with the hands, or alternately against a wall, until one side or the other fails to return the ball.

HANDBARROW Hand"bar"row, n.

Defn: A frame or barrow, without a wheel, carried by hand.

HANDBILL Hand"bill`, n.

1. A loose, printed sheet, to be distributed by hand.

2. A pruning hook. [Usually written hand bill.]

HANDBOOK Hand"book`, n. Etym: [Hand + book; cf. AS. handb, or G. handbuch.]

Defn: A book of reference, to be carried in the hand; a manual; a guidebook.

HANDBREADTH Hand"breadth`, n.

Defn: A space equal to the breadth of the hand; a palm. Ex. xxxvii. 12.

HANDCART Hand"cart`, n.

Defn: A cart drawn or pushed by hand.

HANDCLOTH Hand"cloth`, n.

Defn: A handkerchief.

HANDCRAFT Hand"craft`, n.

Defn: Same as Handicraft.

HANDCRAFTSMAN Hand"crafts`man, n.; pl. -men (.

Defn: A handicraftsman.

HANDCUFF Hand"cuff`, n. Etym: [AS. handcops; hand hand + cosp, cops, fetter. The second part was confused with E. cuffs,]

Defn: A fastening, consisting of an iron ring around the wrist, usually connected by a chain with one on the other wrist; a manacle; -- usually in the plural.

HANDCUFF Hand"cuff`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handcuffed; p. pr. & vb. n. Handcuffing.]

Defn: To apply handcuffs to; to manacle. Hay (1754).

HANDED Hand"ed, a.

1. With hands joined; hand in hand. Into their inmost bower, Handed they went. Milton.

2. Having a peculiar or characteristic hand. As poisonous tongued as handed. Shak.

Note: Handed is used in composition in the sense of having (such or so many) hands; as, bloody-handed; free-handed; heavy-handed; left- handed; single-handed.

HANDER Hand"er, n.

Defn: One who hands over or transmits; a conveyer in succession. Dryden.

HANDFAST Hand"fast`, n.

1. Hold; grasp; custody; power of confining or keeping. [Obs.] Shak.

2. Contract; specifically, espousal. [Obs.]

HANDFAST Hand"fast`, a.

Defn: Fast by contract; betrothed by joining hands. [Obs.] Bale.

HANDFAST Hand"fast`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handfasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Handfasting.]

Defn: To pledge; to bind; to betroth by joining hands, in order to cohabitation, before the celebration of marriage. [Obs.]

HANDFAST Hand"fast`, n. Etym: [G. handfest; hand hand + fest strong. See Fast.]

Defn: Strong; steadfast.[R.] Carlyle.

HANDFASTLY Hand"fast`ly, adv.

Defn: In a handfast or publicly pledged manner. [Obs.] Holinshed.

HANDFISH Hand"fish`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The frogfish.

HANDFUL Hand"ful, n.; pl. Hand flus. Etym: [AS. handfull.]

1. As much as the hand will grasp or contain. Addison.

2. A hand's breadth; four inches. [Obs.] Knap the tongs together about a handful from the bottom. Bacon.

3. A small quantity. This handful of men were tied to very hard duty. Fuller. To have one's handful, to have one's hands full; to have all one can do. [Obs.] They had their handful to defend themselves from firing. Sir. W. Raleigh.

HAND-HOLE Hand"-hole, n. (Steam Boilers)

Defn: A small hole in a boiler for the insertion of the hand in cleaning, etc. Hand-hole plate, the cover of a hand-hole.

HANDICAP Hand"i*cap, n. Etym: [From hand in cap; -- perh. in reference to an old mode of setting a bargain by taking pieces of money from a cap.]

1. An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race to the competitor possessing inferior advantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing superior advantages, in order to equalize, as much as possible, the chances of success; as, the handicap was five seconds, or ten pounds, and the like.

2. A race, for horses or men, or any contest of agility, strength, or skill, in which there is an allowance of time, distance, weight, or other advantage, to equalize the chances of the competitors.

3. An old game at cards. [Obs.] Pepys.

HANDICAP Hand"i*cap, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handicapped; p. pr. & vb. n. Handicapping.]

Defn: To encumber with a handicap in any contest; hence, in general, to place at disadvantage; as, the candidate was heavily handicapped.

HANDICAPPER Hand"i*cap`per, n.

Defn: One who determines the conditions of a handicap.

HANDICRAFT Hand"i*craft, n. Etym: [For handcraft, influenced by handiwork; AS. handcræft.]

1. A trade requiring skill of hand; manual occupation; handcraft. Addison.

2. A man who earns his living by handicraft; a handicraftsman. [R.] Dryden.

HANDICRAFTSMAN Hand"i*crafts`man, n.; pl. -men (.

Defn: A man skilled or employed in handcraft. Bacon.

HANDILY Hand"i*ly, adv. Etym: [See Handy.]

Defn: In a handy manner; skillfully; conveniently.

HANDINESS Hand"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being handy.

HANDIRON Hand"i`ron, n.

Defn: See Andrion. [Obs.]

HANDIWORK Hand"i*work`, n. Etym: [OE. handiwerc, AS. handgeweorc; hand hand + geweorc work; prefix ge- + weorc. See Work.]

Defn: Work done by the hands; hence, any work done personally. The firmament showeth his handiwork. Ps. xix. 1.

HANDKERCHER Hand"ker*cher, n.

Defn: A handkerchief. [Obs. or Colloq.] Chapman (1654). Shak.

HANDKERCHIEF Hand"ker*chief (hân"ker*chîf; 277), n. Etym: [Hand + kerchief.]

1. A piece of cloth, usually square and often fine and elegant, carried for wiping the face or hands.

2. A piece of cloth shaped like a handkerchief to be worn about the neck; a neckerchief; a neckcloth.

HANDLE Han"dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handled; p. pr. & vb. n. Handling .] Etym: [OE. handlen, AS. handian; akin to D. handelen to trade, G. handeln. See Hand.]

1. To touch; to feel with the hand; to use or hold with the hand. Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh. Luke xxiv. 39. About his altar, handling holy things. Milton.

2. To manage in using, as a spade or a musket; to wield; often, to manage skillfully. That fellow handles his bow like a crowkeeper. Shak.

3. To accustom to the hand; to work upon, or take care of, with the hands. The hardness of the winters forces the breeders to house and handle their colts six months every year. Sir W. Temple.

4. To receive and transfer; to have pass through one's hands; hence, to buy and sell; as, a merchant handles a variety of goods, or a large stock.

5. To deal with; to make a business of. They that handle the law knew me not. Jer. ii. 8.

6. To treat; to use, well or ill. How wert thou handled being prisoner. Shak.

7. To manage; to control; to practice skill upon. You shall see how I will handle her. Shak.

8. To use or manage in writing or speaking; to treat, as a theme, an argument, or an objection. We will handle what persons are apt to envy others. Bacon. To handle without gloves. See under Glove. [Colloq.]

HANDLE Han"dle, v. i.

Defn: To use the hands. They have hands, but they handle not. Ps. cxv. 7.

HANDLE Han"dle, n. Etym: [AS. handle. See Hand.]

1. That part of vessels, instruments, etc., which is held in the hand when used or moved, as the haft of a sword, the knob of a door, the bail of a kettle, etc.

2. That of which use is made; the instrument for effecting a purpose; a tool. South. To give a handle, to furnish an occasion or means.

HANDLEABLE Han"dle*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being handled.

HANDLESS Hand"less, a.

Defn: Without a hand. Shak.

HANDLING Han"dling, n. Etym: [AS. handlung.]

1. A touching, controlling, managing, using, etc., with the hand or hands, or as with the hands. See Handle, v. t. The heavens and your fair handling Have made you master of the field this day. Spenser.

2. (Drawing, Painting, etc.)

Defn: The mode of using the pencil or brush, etc.; style of touch. Fairholt.

HANDMADE Hand"made", a.

Defn: Manufactured by hand; as, handmade shoes.

HANDMAID; HANDMAIDEN Hand"maid", Hand"maiden, n.

Defn: A maid that waits at hand; a female servant or attendant.

HANDSAW Hand"saw` n.

Defn: A saw used with one hand.

HANDSEL Hand"sel, n. [Written also hansel.] Etym: [OE. handsal, hansal, hansel, AS. handsa giving into hands, or more prob. fr. Icel. handsal; hand hand + sal sale, bargain; akin to AS. sellan to give, deliver. See Sell, Sale. ]

1. A sale, gift, or delivery into the hand of another; especially, a sale, gift, delivery, or using which is the first of a series, and regarded as on omen for the rest; a first installment; an earnest; as the first money received for the sale of goods in the morning, the first money taken at a shop newly opened, the first present sent to a young woman on her wedding day, etc. Their first good handsel of breath in this world. Fuller. Our present tears here, not our present laughter, Are but the handsels of our joys hereafter. Herrick.

2. Price; payment. [Obs.] Spenser. Handsel Monday, the first Monday of the new year, when handsels or presents are given to servants, children, etc.

HANDSEL Hand"sel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handseled or Handseled (; p. pr. & vb. n. Handseling or Handselling.] Etym: [Written also hansel.] Etym: [OE handsellen, hansellen;cf. Isel. hadsala, handselja. See Handsel, n.]

1. To give a handsel to.