change hands

Idioms  

1. Pass from one owner to another. For example, This house seems to change hands every other year, or The contract is valid only when money changes hands. [Second half of 1600s]

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Example Sentences

Hosseini doesn’t expect a mass exodus to Dell following the latest round of headlines, and any business that does change hands will come with the same caveat.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 3% to change hands above $85 a barrel, close to its most expensive since the summer of 2024.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

AMD shares slumped 9.1% in premarket trading on Wednesday and were set to change hands at $220.20 each, the lowest since late December.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

It was an occasion for millions of shares of each company to change hands between investors who thought they were worth owning and those who no longer did.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

There was no need on either side—long or short—for cash to change hands.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis