hand-me-down

American  

[hand-mee-doun, han-] / ˈhænd miˌdaʊn, ˈhæn- /

noun

1. an article of clothing passed on to another person after being used, outgrown, etc..

   The younger children wore the hand-me-downs of the older ones.

2. any item not new that is or can be used again.

   Our office furniture was a collection of hand-me-downs.

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adjective

1. passed along for further use by others.

   some hand-me-down clothes from my older brother.

2. borrowed or adapted from other sources; derivative.

   a street full of hand-me-down architecture.

hand-me-down British  

noun

1. 1. something, esp an outgrown garment, passed down from one person to another

   2. ( as modifier )

      a hand-me-down dress

2. 1. anything that has already been used by another

   2. ( as modifier )

      hand-me-down ideas

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Etymology

Origin of hand-me-down

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

She hadn’t showered in two days, her hair was a frizzy mess, and she was wearing hand-me-down clothes that were five sizes too big.

From Literature

One that isn’t a hand-me-down from my weird cousin in Des Moines.

From Literature

Ma holds my gaze for a beat before glancing at the empty hand-me-down suitcase.

From Literature

The chancellor could also offer partial payments, potentially getting smaller for each additional child to reflect that these children might use the same buggy as their siblings or hand-me-down clothes.

From BBC

Nearly 250 years later, as we continue to debate what the Founders intended, we may find at times that we’ve been led astray by legend, hornswoggled by hand-me-down history.

From Los Angeles Times