An archaic term meaning to place something in the palm of someone's hand, often used in medieval legal contexts for property transfer.
From Old French 'appaume,' combining 'a-' (to) and 'paume' (palm of hand), ultimately from Latin 'palma.' This specialized legal term reflected the physical ceremonies used in medieval England to signify ownership transfer.
Medieval property law was incredibly physical—you couldn't just sign a document; you had to actually place the item in someone's palm! This word captures a moment when law and ritual were inseparable, and words described the exact ceremonial movements.
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