Definition for: handfast

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English

Etymology 1

Middle English hondfast , past participle of hondfesten , to betroth, from Old Norse handfesta , to strike a bargain, pledge  : hönd , hand + festa , to fasten, fix, affirm; see past- in Indo-European Roots.

Noun

handfast

1. ( obsolete ) Hold; grasp; custody; power of confining or keeping.
2. ( obsolete ) Contract; specifically, espousal.

Adjective

handfast

1. ( obsolete ) Fast by contract; betrothed by joining hands.

Verb

to handfast ( third-person singular simple present handfasts , present participle handfasting , simple past handfasted , past participle handfasted )

1. ( transitive ) To pledge; to bind; to betroth by joining hands, in order to allow cohabitation, before the celebration of marriage; to marry provisionally.
   • (1820) When we are handfasted, as we term it, we are man and wife for a year and a day; that space gone by, each may choose another mate, or, at their pleasure, may call the priest to marry them for life; and this we call handfasting . - Sir Walter Scott, The Monastery

Etymology 2

German handfest ; hand hand + fest strong.

Noun

handfast

1. ( rare ) Strong; steadfast.

Other Translations for "handfast"

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Sign Language Spelling
Morse Code		.... .- -. -.. ..-. .- ... -
Binary		1101000 1100001 1101110 1100100 1100110 1100001 1110011 1110100
Hex		68616E6466617374
Pig Latin		andfasthay

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