HAND'KERCHIEF, noun [hand and kerchief. See Kerchief.] 1. A piece of cloth, usually silk or linen, carried about the person for the purpose of cleaning the face or hands, as occasion requires. 2. A piece of cloth to be worn about the neck, and sometimes called a neckerchief.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI