Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

hand down

verb

Definition of hand down

transitive verb
1 : to transmit in succession (as from father to son)
2 : to make official formulation of and express (the opinion of a court)

See hand down defined for kids

First Known Use of hand down

1651

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year
NEW! Time Traveler

Law Dictionary

hand down

transitive verb

legal Definition of hand down

1 : to deliver (the decision or opinion of an appellate court) to the proper office of an inferior court
2 : to make an official formulation of and announce (the decision of a court)

Learn More about hand down

  1. See words that rhyme with hand down

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up hand down? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

skirl

play

to emit the high shrill tone of bagpipes

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. asylum 'protection from arrest and extradition given especially to political refugees'

  2. insubordinate 'disobedient to authority'

  3. promulgate 'to make known by open declaration'

  4. epochal 'momentous or unparalleled'

  5. clemency 'merciful treatment of someone who could be given harsh punishment'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

hand down

Test Your Vocabulary

Words for Summer: A Quiz

  • a-closeup-of-a-sunflower
  • Which of the following words means “of or relating to summer”?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games