What is the difference between provisionally and handfast?
provisionally | handfast |
(obsolete) A hold, grasp; custody, power of confining or keeping.
(obsolete) A contract, agreement, covenant; specifically betrothal, espousal.
To pledge; to bind
(Wicca) To betroth by joining hands, in order to allow cohabitation before the celebration of marriage; to marry provisionally.
* (1820) When we are handfasted', as we term it, we are man and wife for a year and a day; that space gone by, each may choose another mate, or, at their pleasure, may call the priest to marry them for life; and this we call '''handfasting . - Sir Walter Scott, ''The Monastery
(obsolete) Fast by contract; betrothed by joining hands.
As an adverb provisionally
is in a provisional way; temporarily.As a noun handfast is
a hold, grasp; custody, power of confining or keeping.As a verb handfast is
to pledge; to bind.As an adjective handfast is
fast by contract; betrothed by joining hands.handfast
English
Etymology 1
(etyl) hondfast'', past participle of ''hondfesten'' 'to betroth', from Old Norse ''handfesta'' 'to strike a bargain, pledge', itself from '''' 'hand' + ''festa 'to fasten, fix, affirm' (compare see past- in Indo-European roots).Noun
(en noun)- (Shakespeare)
Verb
(en verb)Adjective
(head)- (Bale)
