Hantle

Alternative forms

hantel, hauntle, hontle, hancle, hankle
hantill Scotland

Origin

Of obscure origin. Perhaps from Middle English *antel, *antÃ¦l, from Old English *antÃ¦l, *andtÃ¦l, equivalent to and- + tale ("number"); or more likely of origin, related to Danish and Swedish antal ("a number, multitude"), Dutch aantal ("a number, a great many"), German Anzahl ("a number, quantity, multitude"). The addition of initial h is believed to be due to influence from Middle English handfull ("handful").

Full definition of hantle

Noun

hantle

(plural hantles)

(Scotland, northern UK) A considerable number or quantity; a great many; a great deal.

1932, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Sunset Song, Polygon 2006 (A Scots Quair), p. 15:An Irish creature, Erbert Ellison was the name, ran the place for the trustees, he said, but if you might believe all the stories you heard he ran a hantle more silver into his own pouch than he ran into theirs.