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Glite Dictionary
🤝 Steadfast or loyal 🤝 To promise marriage 💍 Old marriage ceremony
to handfast

to handfast

9.9
To promise to marry in a simple old ceremony
  • verb
  • /ˈhændˌfæst/
  • Archaic
translation icon : prometerse
  • They decided to handfast under the ancient oak tree.

Examples

  • They chose to handfast in a private ceremony, exchanging vows and tokens.

  • In ancient times, couples would handfast before a priest as a sign of their engagement.

  • The tradition to handfast was once common in rural communities before official marriage ceremonies.

  • The couple handfasted in a beautiful ceremony last summer.

  • In ancient times, couples would handfast in front of their families to signify their commitment to one another.

  • The two lovers decided to handfast in a quaint ceremony held during the spring festival.

  • During the celebration, the couple chose to handfast, binding themselves together with promises of love and loyalty.

Synonyms

to betroth
vsto handfast
  • Archaic
11 9.6

To promise two people will marry each other in the future

is a ceremonial pledge instead of a general arranged promise
to handfasting
vsto handfast
  • Archaic
9.9

To join hands in a traditional ceremony to promise to marry each other

is a formal pledge without the joining hands ritual
to affiance
vsto handfast
  • Archaic
9.9

To formally promise that two people will marry

is a ceremonial formal pledge rather than a transfer or arrangement

Surface Forms

handfast infinitive
handfasted past
handfasted past participle
handfasting present participle
handfasts third person singular

Etymology

Handfast as a verb comes from putting hand and fast together to mean 'to join hands firmly' as a pledge. So to handfast someone was to promise to marry them.