In close combat; also, at close quarters. For example, If the enemy came any closer they would soon be fighting hand to hand . This expression, dating from about 1400, is usually restricted to military contexts but occasionally sees more general use.
In close combat; also, at close quarters. For example, If the enemy came any closer they would soon be fighting hand to hand . This expression, dating from about 1400, is usually restricted to military contexts but occasionally sees more general use.
from hand to hand . From one person to another; through a succession of persons. For example, The instructions were passed from hand to hand until everyone had seen them , or Over the generations the family albums went from hand to hand . [Mid-1500s]
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s going to be a lot of hand-to-hand combat with the competition.”
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
From time to time I’ll make an exception and settle into a relative page-turner: nothing with cliffhangers or lots of hand-to-hand combat, mind you, but with a brisker narrative pace.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
As well as a turn on the shooting range, this Saturday morning programme, called "Train with the Army", also teaches civilians hand-to-hand combat, first aid and how to put on a gas mask.
From BBC • May 2, 2025
Walgreens is struggling to deter shoplifting at its stores, according to CEO Tim Wentworth, who described it as "a hand-to-hand combat battle still, unfortunately."
From Salon • Jan. 15, 2025
We had an opportunity to relive the medieval era and enjoy a nice dinner while being entertained by knights participating in hand-to-hand combat.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
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.
