husselen

Forms

husselen^[1]

Etymology

It is a variant from Dutch hutselen, from which it arose by assimilation of ⟨ts⟩ to ⟨ss⟩.^[2][1][3] ⟨hutselen⟩, already Middle Dutch hutselen, is a frequentative of the older hutsen “to shake”, recorded in 1351.^[2][1][4] Its further origin is unclear, and the EWN thinks it may be imitative.^[2] Related are Middle Low German hutseken (“to turn”), Middle High German hutzen (“to swing to and fro”) and hutschen (“to shove”), and Frankish *hottisōn gave Old French hochier (“to shake”), modern French hocher.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The form husselen is first recorded in the 1914 Van Dale dictionary, which refers the reader to hutselen;^[2] hutsen and hutselen “to shake together” are recorded from 1573.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Van Dale still defines husselen by hutselen, and the ANW gives it two senses: to mix things by shaking or stirring, and to change their order at random.^[5][6] In Zeeland husselen, with the variants huzzeken, russelen and roesselen, is to shake coins and toss them, playing heads or tails.^[3]

English hustle was borrowed from the Dutch verb, at first meaning “to shake to and fro”, especially of money in a cap in the game of hustle-cap (1684).^[2][7][1][8] In English it went on to mean to push roughly (1751) and to bustle or move quickly (1821), and later also to swindle and to walk the streets.^[7][8]

Timeline

• 1914 – Husselen is first recorded, in Van Dale.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To mix up, jumble: to shake or stir things so that they change places and are mixed together.^[6][1][5]
2. To shuffle: to change the order of things so that it becomes random.^[6][1]

Related words

• hutselen
• hutsen
• hossen
• onthutst
• English hustle

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Philippa, Marlies; Debrabandere, Frans; Quak, Arend; Schoonheim, Tanneke; Sijs, Nicoline van der (2003–2009), Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands, 4 vols., Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press; online via etymologiebank.nl
3. ^ a b Debrabandere, Frans (2007), Zeeuws etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van de Zeeuwse woorden, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Atlas
4. ^ Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
5. ^ a b Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
6. ^ a b c Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)