to hand

Idioms

Also, at hand . Nearby, accessible, as in I don't have the right tools to hand but asked her to get them for me . [c. 1300]
Also, in hand . In one's possession, as in He had their letter to hand , or She had the money in hand . The first term dates from the mid-1700s, the second from about 1200. Also see hand to hand .

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.

The report said observers witnessed prisoners voting in cramped quarters that didn’t allow for privacy and having to hand their ballots to others to put in the box.

From Salon • May 6, 2026

This is not to hand back the financial power that they were just given, but rather, it’s for protection and convenience.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

But the move ended with both cars off the track, and Verstappen was advised to hand the place back to his 2021 title rival.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

The Justice Department sued California Secretary of State Shirley Weber for failing to hand over the state’s voter rolls.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

That is too easy a pass to hand out.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023