Etymology Dictionary

HAND,  the part of the body used for seizing and holding.  (E.)   M.E. hand, hond, Chaucer, C. T. 843.—A.S. hand, hond; Grein, ii. 11. + Du. hand. + Icel. hönd, hand. + Dan. haand. + Swed. hand. + Goth. handus. + G. hand; O.H.G. hant.   β. The European type is HANDU; derived from HANTH, base of Goth. hinthan, to seize, a strong verb (pt. t. hanth, pp. hunthans), only found in the compounds frahinthan, to take captive, ushinthan, to take captive.   Remoter origin unknown.   Der. hand, verb, Temp. i. 1. 25; hand-er; hand-barrow, hand-bill, hand-book (imitated from G. handbuch, see Trench, Eng. Past and Present); hand-breadth, Exod. xxv. 25; hand-cart; hand-ful (Wyclif has hondfullis, pl., Gen. xxxvii. 7); hand-gallop; hand-glass, hand-grenade, hand-kerhcief (see Kerchief), hand-less, hand-maid (Gen. xvi. 1), hand-maiden (Luke, i. 48), hand-spike, hand-staves (Ezek. xxxix. 9), hand-weapon (Numb. xxxv. 18), hand-writing.   And see hand-cuff, hand-i-cap, hand-i-craft, hand-i-work, hand-le, hand-sel, hand-some, hand-y.