- handsome
- \ \ see HAND
Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
handsome
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Handsome — Hand some (h[a^]n s[u^]m; 277), a. [Compar. {Handsomer} ( [ e]r); superl. {Handsomest}.] [Hand + some. It at first meant, dexterous; cf. D. handzaam dexterous, ready, limber, manageable, and E. handy.] 1. Dexterous; skillful; handy; ready;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
handsome — ► ADJECTIVE (handsomer, handsomest) 1) (of a man) good looking. 2) (of a woman) striking and imposing rather than conventionally pretty. 3) (of a thing) well made, imposing, and of obvious quality. 4) (of an amount) substantial; sizeable. ●… … English terms dictionary
handsome — [han′səm, hand′səm] adj. [orig., easily handled, convenient < ME handsom: see HAND & SOME1] 1. a) Now Rare moderately large b) large; impressive; considerable [a handsome sum] 2. generous; magnan … English World dictionary
handsome — (adj.) c.1400, handsom easy to handle, ready at hand, from HAND (Cf. hand) (n.) + SOME (Cf. some). Sense extended to fair size, considerable (1570s), then having fine form, good looking (1580s). Meaning generous (in handsome reward, etc.) first… … Etymology dictionary
Handsome — Hand some, v. t. To render handsome. [Obs.] Donne [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
handsome — [adj1] attractive admirable, aristocratic, athletic, august, beautiful, becoming, clean cut, comely, dapper, elegant, fair, fashionable, fine, good looking, graceful, impressive, lovely, majestic, noble, personable, pulchritudinous, robust, sharp … New thesaurus
handsome — index elegant, liberal (generous), magnanimous Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
handsome — 1 generous, *liberal, bountiful, bounteous, openhanded, munificent Analogous words: lavish, prodigal, *profuse Contrasted words: niggardly, penurious, *stingy, parsimonious: frugal, economical, *sparing, thrifty: *meage … New Dictionary of Synonyms
handsome — is applied equally to men and women who are, as Dr Johnson put it, ‘beautiful with dignity’. In current use there is a tendency to use the term of women only when they are middle aged or elderly … Modern English usage
Handsome — For handsome as a quality of appearance see: Physical attractiveness or physical beauty. Infobox Album | Name = Handsome Type = studio Artist = Kilburn and the High Roads Released = 1975 Recorded = 1974 Genre = Rock Length = 40:10 Label = Pye… … Wikipedia
handsome — hand|some [ˈhænsəm] adj [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: handsome easy to handle (15 17 centuries), from hand] 1.) a) a man who is handsome looks attractive = ↑good looking ▪ an extremely handsome young man ▪ Sam was tall, dark and handsome . ▪ his… … Dictionary of contemporary English
