† ˈhandsmooth, a. and adv. Obs. exc. dial.
A. adj. Level or flat as if smoothed with the hand; smooth to the hand.
| 1530 Palsgr. 452/2, I beate downe to the grounde, or I beate down hande smothe, je arrase. This castell was beate downe hande smothe with ordonaunce. 1558 Morwyng Ben Gorion (1567) 6 Iudas..spedely set upon them, beat them downe handsmoth. 1590 T. Watson Death Sir F. Walsingham 233 Poems (Arb.) 165 O heards and tender flocks, o handsmooth plains. a 1603 T. Cartwright Confut. Rhem. N.T. (1618) 595 This Epistle..beateth it down as hand-smooth as it doth the sacrifices. |
b. fig. Flat, plat, unqualified.
| 1612 W. Sclater Minister's Portion Ep. Ded., Having no such evidence..to carry away so handsmooth a conclusion. |
B. adv. Flatly; downright; without check, interruption, or qualification.
| 1600 Abp. Abbot Exp. Jonah 500 He fretteth and chafeth hand-smooth with the Lord. 1610 Healey St. Aug. Citie of God 768 This they avouch, hand-smooth. 1631 Celestina xi. 130 Shee..will seaze hand-smooth on a whole drove of us at once. 1659 H. More Immort. Soul ii. xvii. (1662) 137 All things goe on hand-smooth for it, without any check or stop. 1682 A. Behn City Heiress iii. i, Let 'em accuse me if they please, I come off hand-smooth with Ignoramus. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Hand-smooth, uninterruptedly, without obstacle; also entirely..‘He ate it up handsmooth’. |