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hand over hand

see hand over fist.

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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Examples from the Web for hand over hand

Historical Examples of hand over hand

  • It ascended by a hand-over-hand movement, and with great rapidity.

    Lost in the Jungle

    Paul Du Chaillu

  • Then he felt about till he came to the stem of a palm, and up he went, hand-over-hand.

    Baby Jane's Mission

    Reginald Parnell

  • He evidenced a hand-over-hand intention of crawling out of the crack.

    Smoke Bellew

    Jack London

  • Grasping the rope, Harvey went rapidly up, hand-over-hand, until he could seize the beam.

    Jack Harvey's Adventures

    Ruel Perley Smith

  • George stood close to the bow with John directly behind him as hand-over-hand they pulled in the wet, cold chain.