ADEHLNS (2)

Word of the Week:

A feature wherein TileHead highlights a word that is is especially interesting or unusual (and, incidentally, useful in Scrabble play):

ADEHLNS (2)

(unscramble the letters to form this week's word...)

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(answer below, after a little more spoiler space....)

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This week's word is...

HANDSEL v. -SELED, -SELING, SELS, or -SELLED, -SELLING, -SELS

• Definition:
  1. (n.) a gift to express good wishes or good luck, especially at the beginning of a new year
  2. (n.) a first installment or payment: earnest money
  3. (v.) to inaugurate with a token or gesture of goodwill or good luck
  4. (v.) to use or do for the first time

• Front hooks: (none)
• Back hooks: -S
• Anagrams: HANDLES (inflected form of HANDLE v. -DLED, -DLING, -DLES)
• Longer extensions: -ED, -ING, -LED, -LING
• Wraparounds: (none)
• Other Spellings: HANSEL (v. -SELED, -SELING, -SELS or -SELLED, -SELLING, -SELS)
• Related Forms: (none)

TileHead says:

• The Old English hanselen meant "delivery into the hands of another." Similarly, the Old Norse handsal meant "giving of the hand, or shaking hands on a bargain or promise," and the Old Swedish handsal meant "money handed over to someone, i.e. a gratuity or tip."  Similar words exist in other languages as well.  The English word handsel (or hansel) nearly always signifies a specific kind of gift or offer, one associated with a new year or any new enterprise.

• Handsel Monday, the first Monday of the new year on which handsels were traditionally given to children and servants, is an old secular holiday that is still celebrated in parts of Scotland and northern England.  Happy Handsel Monday!