in hand

phrase

1

: in one's possession or control

had matters well in hand

with money in hand

2

: in preparation

a new play in hand

3

: under consideration

took the matter in hand

Examples of in hand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Fans of Waterbird Coffee were without their downtown Kansas City spot for just a few months before new owners strode in — single origin beans in hand — to save it. — Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026

But the biggest surprise occurs when someone walks over to Cohan with a hot chocolate in hand. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Aug. 2026

Miami is 10 points behind Nashville in the Eastern Conference standings and three points ahead of the surging Chicago Fire, who have a game in hand and are energized with the arrival of Polish star Robert Lewandowski. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026

Ten-year-old Bryce Diaz proudly headed to Pennsylvania with a jumbo-sized baseball in hand. — Christine Sloan, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for in hand

• armband
• backhand
• bandstand
• baseband
• broadband
• command
• cropland
• demand
• disband
• dreamland
• expand
• farmhand