Hallowmas, the feast of All Hallows, or All Saints, Nov. 1. Spelt Hallomas, Tusser, Husbandry, § 23. 1 (Hallontide, id., § 21. 1); Meas. for Meas. ii. 1. 128; Richard II, v. 1. 80. In prov. use in Scotland; also in Somerset, see EDD. (s.v. Hallow (7)).
halpace, a high step or raised floor. Hall, Chron. (ed. 1809, p. 606); ‘On the altar an halpas . . . and on the halpas stood twelve images’, Holinshed, Chron. iii. 857; also, through popular etymology half-pace, the uppermost step before the choir of a church, Bacon, Henry VII (ed. Lumby, 98). F. (16th cent.) hault pas (haut pas), high step.
halse, haulse, to embrace. Pt. t. haulst, Spenser, F. Q. iv. 3. 49; ‘I halse one, I take hym aboute the necke, je accolle’, Palsgrave. See EDD. (s.v. Halse, vb. 9). ME. halsyn, ‘amplector’ (Prompt.), deriv. of hals, the neck, OE. heals (hals). See [hause].
haltersack, a gallows-bird, rascal. Beaumont and Fl., King and No King, ii. 2 (1 Cit. Wife); Knt. of B. Pestle, i. 3 (Citizen). Gascoigne, Supposes, iii. 1 (Dalio). See Nares.
hame, a haulm, stalk; straw. Golding, Metam. i. 492; fol. 9 (1603); also hawme, Tusser, Husbandry, § 57. 15. In gen. prov. use in numerous forms, see EDD. (s.v. Haulm). ME. halme, or stobyl, ‘stipula’ (Prompt. EETS. 212). OE. healm (Anglian halm).
hamper up, to fasten up, make fast. Greene, Friar Bacon, ii. 3 (750); scene 6. 136 (W.); p. 162, col. 2 (D.).
han, pres. pl. have. Spenser, Shep. Kal., May, 168. This plural form is still in prov. use from Yorkshire to Shropshire, see EDD. (s.v. Have). ME. han: ‘Thei han Moyses and the prophetis’ (Wyclif, Luke xvi. 29); hafen (Lamb. Hom. 59). OE. habben (hæbben), pres. pl. subj. (Wright, OE. Gram., § 538).
hand: phr. to hand with, to go hand in hand with, to concur; ‘Let but my power and means hand with my will’, Massinger, Renegado, iv. 1 (Grimaldi).
hand over head, inconsiderately, recklessly, hastily, indiscriminately; ‘They ran in amongst them hand over head’, North, tr. of Plutarch, M. Brutus, § 28 (in Shak. Plut., p. 141, n. 3); cp. Warner, Albion’s England, bk. ix, ch. 51, st. 22. In prov. use, see EDD. (s.v. Hand, 2 (8)).
hands: phr. to shake hands with, to bid farewell to, to say good-bye to; ‘I have shaken hands with delight’, Sir T. Browne, Rel. Med. (ed. Greenhill, 66); ‘To shake hands with labour for ever’, Harrison in Holinshed (ed. 1807, i. 314). [Cp. Charles Lamb in Elia, Early Rising, ‘He has shaken hands with the world’s business, has done with it.’]