Etymology

Formed on haspe (n.) (or else a non-metathesized variant of recorded OE hæpsian). 

PGmc Ancestor

*xasp-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

cp. hespa (n.) ‘wisp or skein of wool; hasp, fastening’
(ONP cp. hespa (sb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far hespa, Icel hespa, Norw hespe, hespa, Dan haspe, Sw hasp

OE Cognate

hæpsian 'to fasten'

Phonological and morphological markers

[

absence of metathesis

] (possibly diagnostic)

Summary category

CCC2

Attestation

Less frequent than the n., and first attested in the late 14c; in ME it is found only in alliterative verse (inc. Jos.Arim.), with the exception of a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066).

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Gaw 281, 590, 607, etc.; Cl 419; Pat 381

Bibliography

MED haspen (v.) , OED hasp (v.) , HTOED , HTOED , Dance haspe