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Synonyms

hand-out

British  

noun

  1. clothing, food, or money given to a needy person

  2. a leaflet, free sample, etc, given out to publicize something

  3. a statement or other document distributed to the press or an audience to confirm, supplement, or replace an oral presentation

"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

verb

  1. to distribute

"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
hand out Idioms  

  1. Distribute, as in The teacher handed out the test papers. [Late 1800s] For a synonym, see pass out, def. 1.

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.

It means councils can give those experiencing difficulties direct access to cash in the hopes of removing the need for hand-out provisions.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026

Their response is the kind of gratitude a Caesar might hand-out to an innocent messenger on receiving unwelcome news.

From The Guardian • Apr. 3, 2013

Many ex-militants complain that they only receive a small portion of the stipend, while their former commanders pocket most of the hand-out.

From Reuters • Jun. 4, 2012

Many believe money saved from the hand-out withdrawal will go straight into government coffers.

From Time • Jan. 9, 2012

She flipped ahead to look at the last page of the hand-out, looking for a clue about where this whole thing would end up.

From "The Landry News" by Andrew Clements

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.