hand down

verb

handed down; handing down; hands 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)

Examples of hand down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Before the sentence was handed down, the court heard multiple victim impact statements. —Richard Ramos, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026

Compression packing cubes are, hands down, the most important accessory in my carry-on-only routine. —Kayla Kitts, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026

Their ability to survive in such extreme conditions is testament to their knowledge of the desert, which has been handed down through generations. —Henry Haselock, TheWeek, 27 Feb. 2026

The jurors deliberated for just under two hours before handing down their decision, which awarded professor Rebecca Scofield far more than what her attorneys asked for in their closing argument. —Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hand down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

hand down

verb

1

: to pass down from older to younger (as from parent to child)

2

: to form and express a judicial decision

Legal Definition

hand down

transitive verb

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)