Where does “swift-handed” come from?
swift-handed (English) comes from English handed, from English Hand, from Middle English hond, from Old English hand, from Proto-West Germanic handu, from Swedish hand, from Old Swedish hand, from Old Norse hǫnd — hand.
swift-handed (English): Characterized by quick, skillful movements of the...
Definitions
- Characterized by quick, skillful movements of the...
Ancestry of “swift-handed”, step by step
swift-handed traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English handed
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | handed | Having a certain kind or number of hands; Having... |
| 2 | English | Hand | The part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals |
| 3 | Middle English | hond | hand; Alternative form of hound |
| 4 | Old English | hand | A hand |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | handu | hand |
| 6 | Swedish | hand | A hand; A hand; the set of cards held by a player |
| 7 | Old Swedish | hand | A hand; A direction; A behalf |
| 8 | Old Norse | hǫnd | hand |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | handuz | hand |
via English Swift
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Swift | originally a nickname for a swift or quick person |
| 2 | Middle English | swift | — |
| 3 | Old English | swift | swift, quick |
| 4 | Old English | swīfan | to revolve, sweep, wend, intervene; to move,... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *swīban | to revolve, to move around |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | swībaną | to revolve; move around; sway; stray; to sweep;... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | swey- | to twist, swing; to hiss; whistle; to swing,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sew- | to press out, extract; juice; liquid, rain; to... |