A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

handicraft --- O.E. handcræft "skill of the hand," later hændecraft (c.1205).

handiwork --- c.1175, from O.E. handgeweorc, from hand + geweorc, collective form of weorc "work."

handkerchief --- 1530, from hand + kerchief "cloth for covering the head" (see kerchief). Thus it is a one-word contradiction in terms.

handle (n.) --- O.E. handle, formed from hand in the sense of a tool in the way thimble was formed from thumb. The verb is O.E. handlian "to touch or move with the hands." Akin to O.N. höndla "th seize, capture," Dan. handle "to trade, deal," Ger. handeln "to bargain, trade." The commercial sense was weaker in Eng. than in some other Gmc. languages, but it emerged in Amer.Eng. (1888) from the notion of something passing through one's hands. The slang sense of "nickname" is first recorded 1870. Handlebar first recorded 1887 (as two words), in reference to bicycles; of mustaches, it is first recorded 1933. To fly off the handle (1843) is a figurative reference to an axe head. To get a handle on "get control of" is first recorded 1972. Handler "boxer's assistant" (1950) was originally in dogfights or cockfights (1825).

handmaid --- 1382, from hand (in the sense in close at hand) + maid. Cf. O.E. handþrgn "personal attendant."

handout --- alms or food given to a beggar, 1882, hobo slang, from hand (v.) + out.

handsome --- c.1400, handsom "easy to handle, ready at hand," from hand (n.) + -some. Sense extended to "fair size, considerable" (1577), then "having fine form, good-looking" (1590). Meaning "generous" (in handsome reward, etc.) first recorded 1690.

handwriting --- 1500, from hand + writing (see write), translating L. manuscriptum. Hand in the sense of "handwriting, style of writing" is from 1390.

hang --- a fusion of O.E. hon "suspend" (transitive, class VII strong verb; past tense heng, pp. hangen), and O.E. hangian (weak, intransitive, past tense hangode) "be suspended;" also probably influenced by O.N. hengja "suspend," and hanga "be suspended." All from P.Gmc. *khang-, from PIE *keng- "to waver, be in suspense" (cf. Goth. hahan, Hittite gang- "to hang," Skt. sankate "wavers," L. cunctari "to delay;" see also second element in Stonehenge). Hung emerged as pp. 16c. in northern England dial., and hanged endured only in legal language (which tends to be conservative) and metaphors extended from it (I'll be hanged). Teen slang sense of "spend time" first recorded 1951; hang around "idle, loiter" is from 1830, and hang out (v.) is from 1844. Hang fire (1781) was originally used of guns that were slow in communicating the fire through the vent to the charge. Hanger-on is from 1549. To get the hang of (something) "understand" is from 1845. Hang-up "psychological fixation" is first attested 1959. To let it all hang out "be relaxed and uninhibited" is from 1970.

hangar --- 1852, "shed for carriages," from Fr. hangar "shed," from M.Fr. hanghart, perhaps an alteration of M.Du. *ham-gaerd "enclosure near a house," or from M.L. angarium "shed in which horses are shod." Sense of "covered shed for airplanes" first recorded in Eng. 1902, from Fr. use in that sense.

hang-dog --- 1677, "befitting a hang-dog," a despicable, degraded fellow, so called either from notion of being fit only to hang a dog, or to be hanged like one.

hanging --- act of putting to death on the gallows, c.1300 (see hang). Hanging judge first recorded 1848. Hangman is from 1393.

hangnail --- 1678, probably folk etymology from O.E. agnail "a corn on the foot," from PIE *angh- "tight, painfully constricted, painful."

hangover --- 1894, "survival," from hang + over. Meaning "after-effect of drinking too much" is first attested 1904, on notion of something left over from the night before.

hank --- 1294, probably from O.N. honk, hank "clasp, hank," related to hang.

hanker --- 1601, probably from Flem. hankeren, related to Du. hunkeren "to hanker," perhaps intens. of M.Du. hangen "to hang." The notion is of "lingering about" with longing or craving.

hanky-panky --- 1841, "trickery," Brit. slang, possibly a variant of hoky-poky "deception, fraud," altered from hocus-pocus.

Hannah --- fem. proper name, from Heb., lit. "graciousness," from stem of Hanan "he was gracious;" cf. Punic Hannibha'al "Hannibal," lit. "my favor is with Ba'al."

Hanoi --- city in northern Vietnam, from Vietnamese Hà Nôi, lit. "River Inside," from hà "river" + nôi "inside." So called in ref. to its situation in a bend of the Red River. Known 18c. as Dong Kinh "Eastern Capital," which was corrupted by Europeans into Tonkin, Tonquin, and that name was used in the Fr. colonial period to refer to the entire region and extended to the gulf to the east.

Hans --- familiar shortening of Ger. and Du. Johannes "John." Used figuratively for "a German" or "a Dutchman" from 1569.

Hanseatic --- 1614, from Hanseatic League, medieval confederation of North German towns, from M.L.G. hanse "fellowship, merchants' guild," from O.H.G. hansa "military troop, band, company." M.E. borrowed hanse from O.Fr. hanse, M.L. hansa (both from O.H.G.) in sense of "a company of merchants" (1199).

hansom --- two-wheeled, two-person cab, 1847, from James A. Hansom (1803-1882), Eng. architect who designed such a vehicle c.1834.

Hanukkah --- see Chanukah.

hap --- c.1205, "chance, luck," from O.N. happ "chance, good luck," from P.Gmc. *khapan (source of O.E. gehæp "convenient, fit"). Meaning "good fortune" is from c.1225.

hapax legomenon --- (pl. legomena), 1654, "word occurring only once," from Gk., lit. "once said" (cf. haplos "simple, single," used in Eng. in scientific compounds).

haphazard --- 1573, from hap "chance, luck" (see hap) + hazard "risk, danger, peril."

hapless --- unfortunate, 1568, from hap (q.v.).

happen --- c.1300, happenen "to come to pass, occur," originally "occur by hap" (see hap); replaced O.E. gelimpan, gesceon, and M.E. befall. First record of happenstance is 1897, formed from happening + circumstance. Happening in the sense of "spontaneous event or display" is from 1959.

happy --- 1340, "lucky," from hap "chance, fortune" (see haphazard), sense of "very glad" first recorded c.1390. Ousted O.E. eadig (from ead "wealth, riches") and gesælig, which has become silly. O.E. bliðe "happy" survives as blithe. From Gk. to Ir., a great majority of the European words for "happy" at first meant "lucky." An exception is Welsh, where the word used first meant "wise." Used in World War II and after as a suffix (e.g. bomb-happy, flak-happy) expressing "dazed or frazzled from stress." Happiness is first recorded 1530. Happy hour "early evening period of discount drinks and free hors-d'oeuvres at a bar" is first recorded 1961. Happy-go-lucky is from 1672. Happy as a clam (1636) was originally happy as a clam in the mud at high tide, when it can't be dug up and eaten.

Hapsburg --- European dynasty, from Ger. Habsburg, from castle on the Aar in Switzerland, originally Habichtsburg, lit. "Hawk's Castle."

hara-kiri --- suicide by disembowelment, 1856, from Japanese, "belly-cutting," the colloquial word for what is formally called seppuku "cut open the stomach," from hara "belly" + kiri "to cut."

harangue --- c.1450, Scottish arang (in Eng. from c.1600), from M.Fr. harangue, from It. aringo "public square, platform," from Goth. *hriggs (pronounced "hrings"), from P.Gmc. *ring "circular gathering." The first -a- inserted to ease Romance pronunciation of Gmc. hr- (cf. hamper (n.)).

harass --- 1618, from Fr. harasser "tire out, vex," possibly from O.Fr. harer "set a dog on," and perhaps blended with O.Fr. harier "to harry, draw, drag." Originally "to lay waste, devastate," sense of "distress" is from 1656.

harbinger --- c.1471, herbengar "one sent ahead to arrange lodgings" (for a monarch, an army, etc.), alt. of M.E. herberger "provider of shelter, innkeeper" (c.1175), from O.Fr. herbergeor, from herbergier "provide lodging," from herber "lodging, shelter," from Frank. *heriberga "lodging, inn" (cf. O.S., O.H.G. heriberga "army shelter," from heri "army" + berga "shelter"); see harbor. Sense of "forerunner" is 1550. Intrusive -n- is 15c. (see messenger).

harbor --- c.1150, from O.E. herebeorg, from here "army, host" (see harry) + beorg "refuge, shelter" (related to beorgan "save, preserve"); perhaps modeled on O.N. herbergi, from P.Gmc. *kharjaz + *berg-. Sense shifted in M.E. to "refuge, lodgings," then to "place of shelter for ships."

hard (adj.) --- O.E. heard "solid, firm, not soft," also "severe, rigorous, cruel," from P.Gmc. *kharthus (cf. Du. hard, O.N. harðr "hard," O.H.G. harto "extremely, very," Goth. hardus "hard"), from PIE *kratus "power, strength" (cf. Gk. kratos "strength," kratys "strong"). The adv. sense was also present in O.E. Hard of hearing preserves obsolete M.E. sense of "having difficulty in doing something." Hard liquor is 1879, Amer.Eng. (hard cider is from 1789), and this probably led to hard drugs (1955). Hard facts is from 1887; hard news is from 1938. Hard-headed is first attested 1519; hard-hearted is c.1205. Hard-boiled "severe, tough" is from 1886; hard-core "tough" is 1951, extension to pornography is from 1970s. Hard up (1612) is originally nautical, of steering (slang sense of "short of money" is from 1821), as is hard and fast (1867), of a ship on shore. Hardball in the figurative sense of "tough, uncompromising" is from 1973; hard-on "penile erection" first recorded 1893; hard times "period of poverty" is from 1705. Hard hat was originally (1935) "derby;" meaning "safety helmet" is from 1953; used figuratively for "construction worker" from 1970. Hard-wired is 1969, from computing. Hardscrabble "barren place" is first recorded 1804, in journals of Lewis and Clark.

hardly --- c.1205, "in a hard manner, with energy and force," from hard (q.v.). Main modern sense of "barely, just" (1553) reverses this, via the intermediate meaning "not easily, with trouble." Formerly with superficial negative (not hardly).

hardtack --- 1836, "ship's biscuit," from hard + tack (3); soft-tack was "bread."

hardware --- 1515, from hard + ware (n.). In the sense of "physical components of a computer" it dates from 1947.

hardwood --- 1568, from hard + wood. From deciduous trees, distinguished from that of pines and firs.

hardy --- c.1225, "bold, daring, fearless," from O.Fr. hardi, from pp. of hardir "to harden, be or make bold," from Frank. *hardjan (cf. Goth. gahardjan "make hard"), from W.Gmc. *kharthjan "to make hard." Sense infl. by Eng. hard.

hare --- O.E. hara "hare," from W.Gmc. *khasan- (cf. Du. hase, O.H.G. haso), possibly with a sense of "gray" (cf. O.E. hasu "gray"). Cognate with Skt. sasah, Afghan soe, Welsh ceinach "hare." Hare-brained is from 1548, on notion of "flighty, skittish;" hare-lip is from 1567. "þou hast a crokyd tunge heldyng wyth hownd and wyth hare." ["Jacob's Well," c.1440]

Hare Krishna --- 1968, from title of a Hindu chant or mantra, from Hindi hare "O God!" + Krishna, name of an incarnation of the god Vishnu.

harem --- 1634, from Turk. harem, from Arabic haram "wives and concubines," originally "women's quarters," lit. "something forbidden or kept safe," from root of harama "he guarded, forbade."

hark --- c.1175, from O.E. *heorcian (related to hearken), an intensive form from base of hieran (see hear). To hark back (1829) originally refers to hounds returning along a track when the scent has been lost, till they find it again.

Harleian --- 1744, from Latinized form of surname of Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford (1661-1724) and his son Edward, in reference to the library of books and MSS they collected and sold in 1753 to the British Museum.

Harlem --- Manhattan district, used figuratively for "African-American culture" from 1934. The N.Y. community was founded 1658 and originally named Nieuw Haarlem for Haarlem in Netherlands, which probably is from Du. haar "height" + lem "silt," in ref. to its position on a slight elevation on the banks of the Spaarne River.

harlequin --- 1590, from M.Fr. harlequin, from O.Fr. Herlequin, Hellequin, etc., leader of la maisnie Hellequin, a troop of demons who rode the night air on horses. He corresponds to O.E. Herla cyning "King Herla," mythical character sometimes identified as Woden; possibly also the same as the Ger. Erlkönig "Elf King" of the Goethe poem. Sometimes also associated with Herrequin, 9c. count of Boulogne, who was proverbially wicked. In Eng. pantomime, a mute character who carries a magic wand. His It. form, arlecchino, is one of the stock characters of commedia del'arte. From his ludicrous dress comes the Eng. meaning "particolored" (1779).

harlot --- c.1225, "vagabond," from O.Fr. herlot, arlot "vagabond, tramp" (usually male in M.E. and O.Fr.), with forms in O.Prov. (arlot), O.Sp. arlote), and It. (arlotto), of unknown origin. Used in both positive and pejorative senses by Chaucer; applied to jesters, buffoons, jugglers, later to actors. Sense of "prostitute" probably had developed by 14c. but reinforced by use as euphemism for "strumpet, whore" in 16c. translations of the Bible. The word may be Gmc., with an original sense of "camp follower," if the first element is hari "army," as some suspect.

harm --- O.E. hearm "hurt, evil, grief, pain, insult," from P.Gmc. *kharmaz (cf. O.N. harmr, O.Fris. herm, Ger. harm "grief, sorrow, harm"). The verb is from O.E. hearmian "to hurt," and ousted O.E. skeþþan "scathe" in all but a few senses.

harmonic --- 1531 (implied in harmonical), from L. harmonicus, from Gk. harmonikos "harmonic, musical," from harmonia (see harmony). First record of verb harmonize is from 1483.

harmonica --- 1762, coined by Ben Franklin as the name for a glass harmonica, from L. fem. of harmonicus (see harmonic); modern sense of "mouth organ" is 1873, Amer.Eng., earlier harmonicon (1825).

harmony --- c.1384, from O.Fr. armonie, from L. harmonia, from Gk. harmonia "agreement, concord of sounds," lit. "means of joining," related to harmos "joint, shoulder," from PIE *ar-ti-, from *ar- "to fit together." Musical sense is oldest in Eng.; that of "agreement of feeling, concord" is from 1588.

harness --- c.1300, from O.Fr. harneis, perhaps from O.N. *hernest "provisions for an army," from herr "army" + nest "provisions." Ger. Harnisch "harness, armor" is the O.Fr. word, borrowed into M.H.G. The verb meaning "to put a harness on a draught animal" is from c.1300; figurative sense is from 1698.

Harold --- O.N. Haraldr, from P.Gmc. *harja-waldaz "army commander." For first element, see harry; second element is related to P.Gmc. *waldan, source of O.E. wealdan (see wield).

harp --- O.E. hearpe, from P.Gmc. *kharpon- (cf. O.N. harpa, Du. harp, O.H.G. harpfa). L.L. harpa, source of words in some Romantic languages, is a borrowing from P.Gmc. The verb is O.E. hearpian. Fig. sense of "talk overmuch about" first recorded 1513, originally to harp upon one string. The harp seal (1784) is so called for the harp-shaped markings on its back.

harpoon --- 1613, from Fr. harpon, from O.Fr. harpon "cramp iron, clamp" (described as a mason's tool for fastening stones together), from harper "to grapple, grasp," possibly of Gmc. origin, or from L. harpa- "hook" (cf. harpagonem "grappling hook," from Gk. *harpagon, related to harpe "sickle"). Earlier harping-iron (1596). Sense and spelling perhaps infl. by Du. (cf. M.Du. harpoen) or Basque, the first whaling peoples, who usually accompanied Eng. sailors on their early expeditions.

harpsichord --- 1611, from Fr. harpechorde "harp string," from Mod.L. harpichordium, from harpa (see harp) + chorda "string." The -s- is unexplained.

harpy --- c.1375, from Gk. Harpyia (pl.), lit. "snatchers," probably related to harpazein "to snatch" (see rapid). In Homer, personification of whirlwinds and hurricanes; in Hesiod called sisters of Aello and Iris; later represented as ministers of divine vengeance: winged, clawed monsters with female heads and bodies. Metaphoric extension to "greedy person" is c.1400.

harridan --- 1700, "one that is half Whore, half Bawd" ["Dictionary of the Canting Crew"]; "a decayed strumpet" [Johnson], from Fr. haridelle "a poore tit, or leane ill-favored jade," [Cotgrave, 1611], in Fr. from 16c., of unknown origin.

harrier --- 1542, from M.E. hayrer "small hunting dog" (1408), possibly from M.Fr. errier "wanderer," or associated with hare, which they would have hunted. The hawk genus (1556) is from harry (q.v.), which is also a candidate for the source of the dog name.

harrow (n.) --- agricultural implement, heavy wooden rake, c.1300, haru, from O.E. *hearwa, apparently related to O.N. harfr "harrow," and perhaps connected with O.H.G. herbist "harvest" (see harvest). Also possibly from hergian (see harry).

harrow (v.) --- especially in harrowing of Hell in Christian theology, from hergian (see harry). In fig. sense of "to wound the feelings, distress greatly" it is first attested 1602 in Shakespeare. Harrowing (adj.) "extremely distressing, painful" first recorded 1810.

Harry --- male personal name, a familiar form of Henry (q.v.). Weekley takes the overwhelming number of Harris, Harrison surnames as evidence that "Harry," not "Henry," was the M.E. pronunciation of Henry. Also cf. Harriet, Eng. equivalent of Fr. Henriette, fem. dim. of Henri. Nautical slang Harriet Lane "preserved meat" (1896) refers to a famous murder victim whose killer allegedly chopped up her body. The Harris in Harris tweed (1892) is from the name of the southern section of the island of Lewis with Harris in the Outer Hebrides; originally it referred to fabric produced by the inhabitants there, later a proprietary name.

harry --- O.E. hergian "make war, lay waste, ravage, plunder," the word used in the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" for what the Vikings did to England, from P.Gmc. *kharohan (v.), from *kharjaz "an armed force" (cf. O.E. here, O.N. herr, O.H.G. har, Ger. Heer "host, army"), from PIE root *koro- "war" (cf. Lith. karas "war, quarrel," karias "host, army;" O.C.S. kara "strife;" M.Ir. cuire "troop;" O.Pers. kara "host, people, army;" Gk. koiranos "ruler, leader, commander").

harsh --- originally of texture, "hairy," 1533, probably from harske "rough, coarse, sour" (c.1300), a northern word of Scand. origin (cf. Dan. and Norw. harsk "rancid, rank"), related to M.L.G. harsch "rough, raw," probably from PIE base *qars- "to scrape, scratch, rub" (cf. Lith. karsiu "to comb," O.C.S. krasta, Rus. korosta "to itch," L. carduus "thistle," Skt. kasati "rubs, scratches").

hart --- O.E. heorot "male deer," from P.Gmc. *kherut- (cf. O.H.G. hiruz, O.N. hjörtr, Ger. Hirsch), perhaps from PIE base *ker- "horn" (cf. L. cornu "horn," cervus "deer," Welsh carw "deer"). Now, a male deer after its fifth year. Hartshorn "ammonium carbonate" is O.E. heortes hornes, so called because a main early source of ammonia was the antlers of harts.

hartebeest --- 1786, from Afrikaans, from Du. hertebeest "antelope," from hert "hart" + beest "beast."

harum-scarum --- 1674, probably a compound of obsolete hare "harry" + scare, with 'um as a reduced form of them.

haruspex --- 1584, from L. "soothsayer by means of entrails," first element related to L. hernia "rupture," Gk. khorde "gut," Skt. hira "entrails;" second element from L. spic- "beholding, inspecting" (see inspect). The practice is Etruscan.

Harvard --- U.S. college named for John Harvard (1607-38), Puritan immigrant minister who bequeathed half his estate and 260 books to the yet-unorganized college that had been ordered by the Massachusetts colonial government. The surname is cognate with Hereward, O.E. hereweard, lit. "army guard."

harvest --- O.E. hærfest "autumn," from P.Gmc. *kharbitas (cf. O.S. hervist, Du. herfst, Ger. Herbst "autumn," O.N. haust "harvest"), from PIE *kerp- "to gather, pluck, harvest" (cf. Skt. krpana- "sword," krpani "shears;" Gk. karpos "fruit," karpizomai "make harvest of;" L. carpere "to cut, divide, pluck;" Lith. kerpu "cut;" M.Ir. cerbaim "cut"). The borrowing of autumn and fall gradually focused its meaning after 14c. from "the time of gathering crops" to the action itself and the product of the action. Harvester "machine for reaping and binding" is from 1875; harvest home (1596) is the occasion of bringing home the last of the harvest; harvest moon (1706) is that which is full within a fortnight of the autumnal equinox.

Harvey --- proper name introduced in England by Bretons at the Conquest; from O.Fr. Hervé, O.Bret. Aeruiu, Hærviu, lit. "battle-worthy."

has-been --- one who has outlived his fame, 1606 (see have).

hash (v.) --- 1657, "to hack, chop," from Fr. hacher, from O.Fr. hache "axe." The noun "stew" is first recorded 1662, from the verb. Hash, short for hashish, is first recorded 1959 Amer.Eng. Hash browns, is short for hash browned potatoes (1917), with the -ed omitted, as in mash potatoes. The hash marks on a football field were so called 1960s, from similarity to hash marks, armed forces slang for "service stripes on the sleeve of a military uniform" (1909), supposedly called that because they mark the number of years one has had free food (hash) from the Army.

hashish --- 1598, from Arabic hashish "powdered hemp," lit. "dry herb," from hashsha "it became dry, it dried up."

Hasidim --- 1812, adherents of a conservative Jewish religious movement founded 1750 by Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer Baal Shem Tobh, from Heb. hasidhim, lit. "pious ones," pl. of hasidh "kind, pious." Earlier used in Heb. of adherents of an anti-Hellenistic faction during the time of the Maccabean Wars.

hasp --- O.E. hæpse "fastening, clip," with later O.E. metathesis of -p- and -s-. Related to O.N. hespa, M.Du., Ger. haspe "clamp, hinge, hook," but the evolution is obscure.

hassle --- 1945, Amer.Eng., perhaps from Southern dial. hassle "to pant, breathe noisily" (1928), of unknown origin; or perhaps from hatchel "to harass" (1800), which may be a variant of hazel, the plant that furnished switches for whippings.

hassock --- O.E. hassuc "clump of grass, coarse grass," of unknown origin. Sense of "thick cushion" is first recorded 1516, with the likely connection being the perceived similarity of a kneeling cushion and a tuft of grass.

haste (n.) --- c.1300, from O.Fr. haste (12c.), from Frank. *haifst "violence," from W.Gmc. *khaistiz (cf. Goth. haifsts "strife," O.E. hæste "violent, vehement, impetuous"). The verb is in M.E.; the extended form hasten is from 1565. Hasty pudding first attested 1599, so called because it is made quickly.

Hastings --- O.E. Hæstingas "Settlement of the family or followers of a man called *Hæsta" (lit. "Hæsta's People").

hat --- O.E. hæt "hat, head covering," from P.Gmc. *khattuz "hood, cowl" (cf. O.N. hattr), from PIE base *kadh- "cover, protect" (cf. Lith. kudas "tuft or crest of a bird," L. cassis "helmet"). Now, "head covering with a more or less horizontal brim." To throw one's hat in the ring was originally (1847) to take up a challenge in prize-fighting. To eat one's hat was originally To eat Old Rowley's [Charles II's] hat.

hat trick --- c.1877, originally from cricket, "taking three wickets on three bowls;" extended to other sports (esp. ice hockey) c.1909. Allegedly because it entitled the bowler to receive a hat from his club commemorating the feat (or entitled him to pass the hat for a cash collection), but also infl. by the image of a conjurer pulling things from his hat (though hat trick in this sense is not attested until 1886).

hatch (n.) --- O.E. hæc (gen. hæcce) "fence, gate," from P.Gmc. *khak- (cf. M.H.G. heck, Du. hek "fence, gate"). Sense of "plank opening in ship's deck" is first recorded 1233. Drinking phrase down the hatch first recorded 1931. Hatchback as a type of rear door of an automobile is from 1970.

hatch (v1.) --- to produce young from eggs by incubation, from M.E. hachen (c.1250), probably from O.E. *hæccan, of unknown origin. Hatchery is first recorded 1880.