1614. Raleigh, History of the World, Bk. III., ch. viii., § 6. Playing their games handsomely against so nimble a wit.
1672–1719. Addison, Wks. An alms-house, which I intend to endow very handsomely.
1778–79. V. Knox, Essays, 102. A handsome sum of money.
1798. Lodge, Illust. Brit. Hist., i., 178. He is very desyrus to serve your Grace, and seymes to me to be a very handsome man.
1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 8. He turned on his back handsome.
To do the handsome (or the handsome thing), verb. phr. (common).—To behave extremely well; to be ‘civil.’ [[260]]
1887. Manville Fenn, This Man’s Wife, ii., 15. Sir Gordon’s ready to do the handsome thing.
Handsome is that handsome does, phr. (colloquial).—‘Actions, not words, are the test of merit’; also ironically of ill-favoured persons.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum. Handsome is that handsome does: a proverb frequently cited by ugly women.
Handsome-bodied in the face, adv. phr. (old).—See quot.