hand-off

or hand·off

[ hand-awf, -of ]

/ ˈhændˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

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noun

Football.

an offensive play in which a player, usually a back, hands the ball to a teammate.
the ball itself during the execution of such a transfer: He fumbled the hand-off.

Aviation. the condition or period in which control or surveillance of an aircraft is transferred from one control center to another.

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Origin of hand-off

First recorded in 1895–1900; noun use of verb phrase hand off

Words nearby hand-off

handmaid, handmaiden, hand-me-down, hand-me-up, hand mower, hand-off, hand of writ, hand on, hand organ, handout, handover

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use hand-off in a sentence

Although the blood-spattered offices will be off-limits, staff have vowed to continue producing the magazine.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Eating disorders, on the other hand, are driven largely by biological processes that occur on the inside.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A passing off-duty school safety officer named Fred Lucas said that he had been told the man was a drug dealer.
Shot Down During the NYPD Slowdown|Michael Daly|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“After the New York mentality, it is the ultimate contrast to see people making things by hand,” he said.
The Photographer Who Gave Up Manhattan for Marrakech|Liza Foreman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Thankfully, his assistant knows these roads like the back of his hand.
The Photographer Who Gave Up Manhattan for Marrakech|Liza Foreman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
After relievedly giving the pistol to the nearest soldier, he stumbled quickly over to Brion and took his hand.
Sense of Obligation|Henry Maxwell Dempsey (AKA Harry Harrison)
She is quite true, but not wise, and your left hand must not know what your right hand is doing.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
The aged woman made no reply; her eyes still studied Ramona's face, and she still held her hand.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
He came to the top of the stairs with a lamp in his hand, and wanted to know what the rumpus was about.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
She was holding the back of her chair with one hand; her loose sleeve had slipped almost to the shoulder of her uplifted arm.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin

British Dictionary definitions for hand-off

hand-off

/ rugby /

noun

the act of warding off an opposing player with the open hand

verb hand off

(tr, adverb) to ward off (an opponent) using a hand-off

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012