HANDHABEND

handhabend (hand-hab-[schwa]nd), adj. Hist. (Of a thief) caught in possession of a stolen item. handhabend, n. [fr. Old English aet haebbendre handa “at or with a having hand”] Hist. 1. The bearing of stolen goods in hand or about the person. Cf. BACKBEREND. 2. A thief or another person caught carrying stolen goods. 3. Jurisdiction […]