ˈtext-hand
A fine large hand in writing. a. orig. One of the larger and more formal hands in which the text of a book was often written, as distinct from the smaller or more cursive hand appropriate to the gloss, etc. See also quot. 1688. b. Now usually applied to a school-hand written in lines about half an inch wide.
| 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 224 He had taken vp..an instrumente written in greate letters of texte-hande. 1599 [see text v. 1]. 1688 R. Holme Armoury iii. 414/2 These are the form of the Letters..used by the Germans; and are termed the Text Hand Letters. 1796 Pegge Anonym. (1809) 475 It is called text-hand and text-letter because the text was ever wrote in a large hand and the comment in a small. As text-hand is both square and round, it means little more than a large hand of each sort. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xxxi, You seem wondrous slow in reading text hand. |