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

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

But the devil a sou the devils took; far from taking handsel, they were flouted and jeered by the country louts.

From Gargantua and Pantagruel, Illustrated, Book 4 by Motteux, Peter Anthony

"Barrin' the first foundation in the kitchen within," he replied; "for you must know that's what I call my breakfast, handsel of any kind didn't cross my palm this day."

From The Tithe-Proctor The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two by Carleton, William

Let's in, and handsel our new mansion-house With a carousing round of Spanish wine.

From A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 8 by Hazlitt, William Carew