Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

æ
þ

hand

  • noun [ feminine ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
hand, hond, a; f.
Wright's OE grammar
§59; §215; §285; §299; §325; §331; §398; §562;
HAND, side, power, control [cf. mund]; used also of the person from whom an action proceeds
Show examples

  • Hand

    manus,

      Wrt. Voc. 64, 73.

  • Middeweard hand vola vel tenar vel

    ir,

      Ælfc. Gl. 72; Som. 70, 130; Wrt. Voc. 43. 54.

  • Ðín seó, swýðre hand

    dextera tua,

      Ps. Th. 59, 5.

  • Ðǽr unc hwíle wæs hand gemǽne

    there for a time we two had a hand to hand struggle [cf. Ger. handgemein werden to fight hand to hand ],

      Beo. Th. 4281; B. 2137.

  • Sette Ephraim on his swíðran hand ðæt wæs on Israhéles wynstran hand and Manasses on his winstran hand ðæt wæs on Israhéles swíðran healfe

    he placed Ephraim on his right hand, that was on Israel's left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand, that was on Israel's right hand,

      Gen. 48, 13.

  • Seó hǽlo his ðære swýðran handa

    salus dextera ejus,

      Ps. Th. 19, 6.

  • Gif hé heáhre handa dyntes onféhþ if he receives a right[?] hand blow [cf. Icel. hægri hönd

    the right hand,

    and see note on the passage for other translations. The analogy with the Icelandic, it may be observed, is not perfect, since the English does not (as in thecase of swíðre) use the comparative; so that the phrase may perhaps refer to the hand being raised for defence; or the reference may be to the upraised hand of the striker], L. Eth. 58; Th. i. 18, 1.

  • God álýsde hí láðum of handa

    quos redemit de manu inimici,

      106, 2.

  • Tó onfónne æt bisceopes handa

    to receive at the hand of the bishop,

      L. C. E. 22; Th. i. 374, 3: Chr. 942; Erl. 116, 22.

  • Æt Seaxena handa forwurðan

    to perish at the hand of the Saxons,

      605; Erl. 21, 29.

  • Mid brádre hand slógan

    smote with open hand,

      Blickl. Homl. 23, 32; Past. 41, 4; Swt. 303, 11.

  • Mid ðære ylcan hand

    with the same hand,

      Lchdm. iii. 68, 15.

  • Ða witan ðe ðá néh handa wǽron

    the 'witan' that were near at hand,

      Chr. 1l00; Erl. 236, 19.

  • Hand on handa

    hand in hand,

      Ap. Th. 19, 18.

  • Ðeóf ðe æt hæbbendre handa gefangen sý

    a thief who is taken with the stolen property upon him,

      L. Ath. 1; Th. i. 198, 17.

  • Siððan ic hond and rond hebban mihte

    since I could lift hand and shield,

      Beo. Th. 1316: B. 656: Andr. Kmbl. 18; An. 9.

  • Ðǽr wæs micel wæl geslægen on gehwæðre hond

    there was great slaughter made on either side,

      Chr. 871; Erl. 74, 12: Byrht. Th. 135; 2; By. 112.

  • On ǽgðera hand

    on either hand,

      L. Ath. 1, 23; Th. i. 212, 6.

  • Wið ǽlce hand

    on all sides, towards every one,

      L. Ed. 10; Th. i. 164, 18.

  • Ic wille ðæt hit gange on ða nýhstan hand mé

    I will that it go to the next of kin to me,

      Th. Chart. 491, 13: 481, 22.

  • Ða witan gerehton ðæt heó sceolde hire fæder hand geclǽnsian be swá miclan feó

    the 'witan' decided that she should clear her father in respect to so much money;

    sapientes decreverunt quod ego patrem meum purgare deberem, videlicet sacramento xxx librarum, easdem triginta libras patrem meum persolvisse,
      202, 1.

  • Bútan osterlandes béc and hé ða bóc unnendre handa hire tó lét

    excepto libro de osterlande quem bona voluntate dimisit,

    37.

  • Sí mé wuldres hyht hand ofer heáfod may there be to me a hope of glory, hand over head, i.e. without difficulty [hand-over-head

    thoughtlessly extravagant; careless; at random; plenty,

    Hall. Dict.], Lchdm. i. 390, 3, 5.

  • Gif mon forstolenne man befó æt óðrum and síe sió hond óðcwolen sió hine sealde ðam men ðe hine mon ætbeféng

    if a stolen man be attached in another's possession, and the hand [person] be dead that sold him to the man in whose possession he is attached,

      L. In. 53; Th. i. 134, 17: 136, 2: 75; Th. i. 150, 5: L. Eth. 2, 8; Th. i. 288, 18, 20.

  • His feoh onfón fremde handa

    diripiant alieni omnes labores ejus,

      Ps. Th. 108, 11.

  • Handa ðíne

    manus tuæ,

      118, 73.

  • Se ðe ofer ðis fals wyrce þolige ðæra handa ðe he ðæt fals mid worhte

    he that after this makes counterfeit money, let him lose the hands with which he made the counterfeit,

      L. C. S. 8; Th. i. 380, 17.

  • Domicianus wearþ ácweald æt his witena handum

    Domitian was killed by his senators.

      Homl. Th. i. 60, 4.

  • Gebindan handum and fótum

    to bind hand and foot,

      570, l0.

  • Be heora handum gebundne

    bound by the hands,

      Blickl. Homl. 209, 36.

  • Sý ðeós gesetnys ðus hér geendod god helpe mínum handum

    so let this composition here end, God help my hands,

      Lchdm. iii. 280, 16.

  • Ealle forgielden ðone wer gemǽnum hondum

    let them all pay the wergild in common,

      L. Alf. pol. 31; Th. i. 80, 17: L. E. G. 13; Th. i. 174, 21.

  • Ðá genam Sanctus Martinus hine be his handa

    then St. Martin took him by the hand,

      Blickl. Homl. 219, 19.

  • Hit hyre on hand ágeaf

    gave it into her hand,

      Judth. 11; Thw. 23, 20; Jud. 130.

  • Ðýlæs ðe eów on hand becume seó leáse gesetnys

    lest the false account come into your hands,

      Homl. Th. i. 436, 30.

  • Him ealle on hand eodan ða hǽðnan leóde

    then all the heathen people submitted to them,

      Blickl. Homl. 203, 23: Chr. 882; Erl. 82, 13.

  • Gif hig on hand gáþ

    if they submit,

      Deut. 20, 11.

  • Ealle ða burgware ne mehton hiene ǽnne geniéddan ðæt hé him an hand gán wolde

    all the citizens could not force him, though a single man, to yield,

      Ors. 3, 9; 134, 18.

  • Ðæs wíte on eówre handa geeode

    on that account punishment came upon you,

      Ps. 57, 2.

  • Hé ealle gesceafta on his handa hafaþ

    he hath all creatures in his hand,

      Blickl. Homl. 121, 15.

  • Se ðe hie on handa hæfþ

    who has it in his possession,

      L. Eth. 2, 9; Th. i. 290, 17.

  • Se hæfde his abbotríce s' Iohs of Angeli on hande

    he held his abbacy of St. John of Angeli,

      Chr. 1127; Erl. 255, 27, 34: 256, 2.

  • Ealle hé hí oððe wið feó gesealde oððe on his ágenre hand heóld

    all of them he either sold for money or kept in his own hands,

      1100; Erl. 236, 6, 9.

  • Mann sette Ælfgár ðane eorldóm on handa ðe Harold ǽr áhte

    the earldom that Harold had before was put into Alfgar's hands,

      1048; Erl. 180, 29.

  • Se ðe ic hit nú on hand sette

    he into whose hand I now put it,

      L. O. 3; Th. i. 180, 3.

  • Se ðe unriht gestreón on his handa stóde

    he in whose hands was the unjust gain,

      L. Eth. 2, 9; Th. i. 290, 5: Th. Chart. 369, 7.

  • Þridde gewrit á mid ðam ðe ðæt land on hande stande

    the third copy always with him in whose possession the land is,

      Cod. Dipl. Kmbl. iv. 235, 31.

  • Gyf neód on handa stande

    if there be present need,

      L. Edg. H. 2; Th. i. 258, 6.

  • Biþ mannes sunu geseald on synfulra hand

    the Son of man shall be given into the hands of sinful men,

      Blickl. Homl. 73, 1.

  • On hand syllan to give a pledge or promise Hé sealde him on hand mid Cristes béc ðæt hé wolde ðísne þeódscype swá wel haldan swá ǽnig kyngc ætforan him betst dyde

    he promised him on the Gospels that he would rule this people as well as the king who before him had ruled best,

      Chr. 1066; Erl. 202, 31: 1064; Erl. 196, 1.

  • Slaga sceal his forspecan on hand syllan

    the slayer shall give pledge to his advocate,

      L. Edm. S. 7; Th. i. 250, 14: L. Eth. 2, 8; Th. i. 288, 16.

  • Gif hwá his hand on hand sylle

    if any one deliver himself up,

      L. Ed. 9; Th. i. 164, 10.

  • Cyricean hyrde tó cristes handa

    shepherd of the Church for Christ,

      Blickl. Homl. 171, 7.

  • Ðet land eall ábégdon Willelme tó handa

    brought all the land in subjection to William,

      Chr. 1073; Erl. 212, 1.

  • Him becómon swá micele welan tó handa

    so great wealth came into his hands,

      Homl. Th. ii. 576, 30.

  • Ic beóde ðe ðat ðú beríde ðás land ðam hǽlge tó hande

    I enjoin thee that thou perequitate these lands into the possession of the saint,

      Th. Chart. 369, 22.

  • Swá Ælfríc hig mínre móder tó handa bewiste as Alfric administered it on behalf of my mother [cf.

    Icel.

    einum til handa], Cod. Dipl. Kmbl. iv. 222, 19: 226, 4.

  • Sý ðæt forworht ðam cyningce tó handa

    let it be forfeited to the king,

      L. C. S. 13; Th. i. 382, 20.

  • Tó Godes handa gefrætwod

    equipped for God,

      Homl. Th. i. 210, 32.

  • Se cing lét gerídan ealle ða land ðe his módor áhte him tó handa

    the king had all the lands that his mother owned brought into his own power,

      Chr. 1043; Erl. 168, 9: Cod. Dipl. Kmbl. iv. 222, 6.

  • Drihten gewylt eów ealle þeóda tó handa

    the Lord will reduce all nations to subjection to you,

      Deut. 31, 3.

  • Hí cwǽðon ðæt hí him ðet tó handa healdan scoldan

    they said that they would hold it for him,

      Chr. 887; Erl. 87, 3: 1036; Erl. 165, 6: L. I. P. 19; Th. ii. 326, 6.

  • Drihten lét hí tó handa ðam hǽðenan leódscipe Madian

    the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian,

      Jud. 6, 1: Chr. 1048; Erl. 180, 9.

  • Hér leót Ceolréd Wulfréde tó hande ðet land of Sempigaham

    in this year Ceolred let the land of Sempringham to Wulfred,

      852; Erl. 67, 33: 1091; Erl. 227, 7, 24: Anal. Th. 126, 14.

  • Gif þeówwealh Engliscne monnan ofslihþ ðonne sceal se ðe hine áh weorpan hine tó honda hláforde

    if a British slave kill an Englishman, then shall he who owns him give him up to the lord,

      L. In. 74; Th. i. 148, 15: 56; Th. i. 138, 12: L. Alf. pol. 21; Th. i. 76, 1: 24; Th. i. 78, 10.

  • Gá bisceope under hand

    arbitrio episcopi se dedat,

      L. Ecg. P. 4, 52, note; Th. ii. 218, 33.

  • Hí wǽron geseald under sweordes hand

    tradentur in manus gladii,

      Ps. Th. 62, 8.

  • Alle þinge ðe hí under honde habben all things that they have in their possession, Th. Chart. 582,

      1, 19: Cod. Dipl. Kmbl. iv. 268, 32.
  • [Cf. Icel. undir höndum einum in one's power.] Gelǽddon under hand hæleþ hǽðenum déman

    led the men in subjection to a heathen ruler,

      Cd. 175; Th. 220, 14; Dan. 71.
Etymology
[Goth. handus: O. Sax. hand: O. Frs. hand, hond: Icel. hönd: O. H. Ger. hant: Ger. hand.]
Derived forms
DER. mǽg-, wǽpned-, wíf-hand.
Linked entries
v.  hand-gemǽne hond irfe-hand.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “hand.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/18110.

Checked: 0
Full form

Word-wheel

  • hand, n.

Copyright

All the data provided here are free for any purpose. If you use the data for academic purposes, we ask that you kindly cite us as your source. In case you need a large portion of the dictionary data or you need it in a specific format, let us know through the contact form, we are happy to do custom database dumps for researchers.

How to cite

You can cite the entries of the online version of the dictionary, or you can cite the scanned pages of the original paper editions.

  • To cite the online version of the dictionary, click the icon right under the entry.
  • To cite the scanned paper version of the dictionary, click the "show/hide this scanned page" link under the entry, check the scan and use the citation information right above it.