handless

From Middle English handles, equivalent to hand +‎ -less. Cognate with German handlos (“handless”), Icelandic handlauss (“handless”).

handless (not comparable)

1. Without a hand.
   • c. 1602, William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, act 5, scene 5:

     Together with his mangled Myrmidons, That noseless, handless, hack'd and chipp'd, come to him

From handleless, by haplology, under the influence of etymology 1 above.

handless (not comparable)

1. Without a handle.
   • 1812, John Galt, Voyages and travels in the years 1809, 1810, and 1811‎, page 106:

     She gave him a few coppers from the handless jug.

   • 1836, The Metropolitan, Volume 15, page 148:

     One battered, spoutless, handless, japanned-in jug, that did not contain water, for it leaked.

   • 2003, Manners... More than Etiquette, page 91:

     Chinese soup is sipped in a handless cup (Chinese soup bowl) with its own soupspoon.

   • 2006, Elsieferne V. Stout, Dundy County Babe‎, page 44:

     The leftover dough from the loaves would be rolled out with a handless, wooden, rolling pin.

• handsels