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

Sisters on either side, living in the hand-me-down boots and jackets of his older brothers, a stairstep in the parade of Dannenbergs tripping off to church on Sunday mornings in height-descending order.

From Literature

It’s a Celia hand-me-down, and one of the straps keeps sliding off my shoulder.

From Literature

"Conversely, when brides were familiar with the story of the dress, like with a hand-me-down, they were far more positive about it and treated it more like treasure than a cursed item."

From BBC

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