halsen

transitive verb

hal·​sen

ˈȧlzən,

ˈȯzᵊn

-ed/-ing/-s

now dialectal, England

: divine, predict

Word History

Etymology

Middle English halsnen to adjure, conjure, from halsen to adjure, conjure, entreat, greet (from Old English hālsian) + -nen -en; akin to Old High German heilisōn to predict, adjure, conjure, Old Norse heilsa to greet; derivatives from the root of Old English hāl healthy, whole

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!