handset

[ noun hand-set; verb, adjective hand-set, -set ]
/ noun ˈhændˌsɛt; verb, adjective ˈhændˈsɛt, -ˌsɛt /

noun

Also called French telephone. a telephone having a mouthpiece and earpiece mounted at opposite ends of a handle.

verb (used with object), hand·set, hand·set·ting.

to set (type) by hand.

adjective

(of type) set by hand.
(of a publication) printed directly from type set by hand.

Origin of handset

First recorded in 1915–20; hand + set

Words nearby handset

hands-free, hands-off, hands-on, handsaw, handsel, handset, handsew, handsewn, handsfree, handshake, handshaker

British Dictionary definitions for hand setting (1 of 2)

hand setting

noun

printing text matter composed in metal type by hand, rather than by machine

British Dictionary definitions for hand setting (2 of 2)

handset
/ (ˈhændˌsɛt) /

noun

a telephone mouthpiece and earpiece mounted so that they can be held simultaneously to mouth and ear