dial. ? Obs. Forms: 4 ȝyspun, -on, yepsene, yespen, 5 ȝespyn, yespon, ȝespe, (? ȝelspe, ȝelpe), 7 yeaspen, yaspen, yaspin, yeapsond, 7–9 yeepsen, 8 yepsond, eapns, espin, 8–9 yepsintle, 9 ipson. [ME. ȝespon, ȝyspon, yepsen, prob.:— unrecorded OE. *ʓiepsen, *ʓiespen, corresp. to MLG. gespe, gepse, (göpse), LG. gepse, geps, göpse, göps (G. gäspe).
Various other formations are found in LG. dialects, e.g., göppsche, göpske, göppelsche, -ske; also early Flem. gaspe, gaps, Du. dial. gaps(e, LG. gâpske, gäppelsche, -ske.
Affinity of sense suggests derivation from the Teut. stem gaup- appearing in OHG. *goufana (in dat. pl. coufanôm), MHG. goufen, later and dial. gauf, ON. grupn (whence GOWPEN). In the present state of the evidence it is impossible to determine the relationship of these forms and of Lith. źiùpsnis = as much as can be seized with two or three fingers, a small handful or armful.]
The two hands placed together so as to form a bowl-shaped cavity; as much as can be held in this; = GOWPEN 1.
c. 1325. Gloss. W. de Bibbesw., in Wright, Voc., 147. Deus meyns ensemble, vodes ou pleyns, Sount apelés les galeyns [gloss yepsene; v.rr. yespone, ȝespyns, ȝyspun, goupynes] … Cent galeynes [gloss yespen; v.r. ȝyspones].
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., XII. 561. A yespon al to grounde Of cyner.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 537/2. Ȝelspe, handfulle (K., H. ȝespe, S. ȝelpe, P. ȝespyn), vola.
1611. Cotgr., Iointée,… in some countries of England it is called a yeaspen, in others a goppenful of.
1662. Atwell, Faithf. Surveyor, 109. Out of every hors-footing,… I could take up whole yeapsonds [of wild oats] that were never the worse for the fire.
1664. Gouldman, Dict., I. (1669). A yaspin or handful, vola.
1674. Ray, S. & E. C. Words, 80. A Yaspen or Yeepsen: in Essex signifies as much as can be taken up in both hands joyn’d together.
1703. Thoresby, Let. to Ray (E.D.S.). Eapns, sb. ‘an eapns,’ hands full.
c. 1746. J. Collier (Tim Bobbin), View Lanc. Dial., Wks. (1775), 59. There wou’d not I ha com’n for a Yepsintle a Ginneys.
1796. Pegge, Derbicisms (E.D.S.). Espin, sb. a handful of anything.
1892. C. T. Martin, Rec. Interpr., 256. ‘A little ipson,’ in Somerset, is a double handful.
