Origins of Words

Have you ever gotten a word stuck in your head, and then started pondering the origins of the word? Today, the word 'handsome' started tumbling around in my brain. When I think about it, it's such a weird word, especially in the context in which it is used.

When typed into Google, the result is:

hand·some/ˈhan(d)səm/

Adjective:

(of a man) Good-looking. (of a woman) Striking and imposing in good looks rather than conventionally pretty.

What I don't understand is how a combination of 'hand' and 'some' can come to mean 'good-looking'. When I looked up the origins of the word, it still didn't make an extreme amount of sense. Handsome used to mean 'easy to handle'. I guess if I twist my mind a bit, easy to handle could refer to ease of handling someone's appearance. Nonetheless....

The quizzical housewife image above still stands.