['hans(?)l]
(also handsel) archaic or US
¦ noun a gift given at the beginning of the year or the start of an enterprise, supposedly to bring good luck.
¦ verb (hansels, hanselling, hanselled; US hansels, hanseling, hanseled) give a hansel to.
?inaugurate.
Origin
ME (denoting luck): appar. related to OE handselen 'giving into a person's hands', and ON handsal 'giving of the hand to seal a promise', from <a href="">handa> + an element related to <a href="">sella>.