hand down
Britishverb
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to leave to a later period or generation; bequeath
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to pass (an outgrown garment) on from one member of a family to a younger one
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law to announce or deliver (a verdict)
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Bequeath to one's heirs, as in The silver and jewels have been handed down from generation to generation in that family . [Late 1600s]
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Make and pronounce an official decision, especially the verdict of a court. For example, The judge wasted no time in handing down a sentence of contempt of court . [First half of 1900s] Also see hand on ; hand over .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Supreme Court has entered its final stretch of the term, with about two dozen opinions to hand down before the justices flee for their summer break at the end of June.
From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026
The court now has about eight weeks to hand down the decisions in 35 remaining cases.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
The justices will likely hand down a decision at the end of the court’s 2025-26 term in late June or early July.
From Salon • Apr. 30, 2026
The DWI asked for the case to be sent to Crown court for sentencing as it was "high-profile or exceptionally sensitive", and a Crown court could hand down stiffer penalties.
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026
Mom said, slapping her other hand down on the table.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
