|
|
Etymology
Dictionary
|
Origin and Etymology of the word
HANDCUFF.
|
|
From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
|
HANDCUFF,
a manacle, shackle for the hand. (E.) In Todd's Johnson,
without a reference; rare in books. The more usual word (in former
times) was hand-fetter, used by Cotgrave to translate O.F. manette,
manicle, and manotte. The word is undoubtedly an
adaptation of M.E. handcops, a handcuff; the confusion between cops,
a fetter (an obsolescent word) and the better known M.E. coffes (cuffs)
was inevitable. We find 'manica, hond-cops' in a vocabulary
of the 12th century; Wright's Vocab. i. 95, col. 2.—A.S. hand-cops;
we find 'manice, hand-cops' in an earlier vocabulary; id. i. 86, col. 1;
also 'compes, fót-cops,' just above. The A.S. cops is also
spelt cosp; Ælfred, tr. of Boethius, lib. iv. met. 3.
|
|
|
| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
|
|
| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
|
|
|
|
|
