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]
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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 latest round of talks in Rome ended without a breakthrough, as Israel resisted Lebanese requests to hand back more villages.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Aircraft dropped water and flame retardant from above, while ground crews built firebreaks with equipment ranging from bulldozers to hand tools.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026
"We're doing it for them, and they're almost ready to hand us the key to their houses," said fellow firefighter Teddy Rousselet.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
The Times writes: “That process could have required federal agencies to hand over more damaging records.”
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
To become a member Boyle had to hand over his own alchemical secrets, but also valuable gifts—telescopes, microscopes, clocks, luxurious fabrics, large sums of money.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
