handfast

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To pledge; to bind.
2. (Scotland, transitive) To betroth by joining hands, in order to allow for cohabitation before the celebration of marriage; to marry provisionally.

Noun

1. (obsolete) A hold, grasp; custody, power of confining or keeping.
2. (obsolete) A contract, agreement, covenant; specifically betrothal, espousal.

Adj

Fast by contract; betrothed by joining hands.

Adj

Strong; steadfast.

Synonyms

unflinching

Translations

infrangible

charakterfest

standhaft

Handfest

ferme

inébranlable

handvest

inquebrantável

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: hondfast

Inherited from Middle English: hondfesten

In summary

From Middle English hondfast, past participle of Middle English hondfesten (“to betroth”), from Old Norse handfesta (“to strike a bargain, pledge”), itself from hönd (“hand”) + festa (“to fasten, fix, affirm”), perhaps from a Proto-Indo-European root *pHst-.