handsel

Example Sentences

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Aleman, Cervantes, Lesage, Defoe and Fielding were inspired to imitation, and today Lazarillo is acclaimed as the prototype of the picaresque novel, as a handsel of the arriving era of realism in European literature.

From Time Magazine Archive

Then on the 2'd of January 1671 being hansell   Monday I gave my wife to give out to people   who expected handsel, 4 dollars.

From Publications of the Scottish History Society, Volume 36 Journals of Sir John Lauder Lord Fountainhall with His Observations on Public Affairs and Other Memoranda 1665-1676 by Fountainhall, John Lauder, Lord

The village where thou livedst was all apprised of the fact; and neighbour after neighbour kissed thy pudding-cheek, and gave thee, as handsel, silver or copper coins, on that the first gala-day of thy existence.

From Sartor Resartus, and On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History by Carlyle, Thomas

We will grace the old rooms, and handsel all the new ones with the blythest bridal Ayrshire has seen in a century.

From A Daughter of Fife by Barr, Amelia Edith Huddleston

Breakfast done, the seekers made little delay, so eager as they were to behold the King, and to have handsel of their new sweet life. 

From The Story of the Glittering Plain; or, the land of Living Men by Morris, William