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.
Prosecutors earlier asked the three judges to hand down a sentence of seven years and seven months.
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
She finally got the job done after 39 minutes on her seventh chance, slamming a ball she was holding in her hand down on the court in a flash of anger.
From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026
The Supreme Court could issue its ruling on the case as soon as Wednesday, when it is next expected to hand down opinions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026
It will likely hand down a ruling next summer.
From Salon • Dec. 9, 2025
She pulled her hand down when she couldn’t hold it up anymore.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
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.
