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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Before Engelmayer handed down his sentence, Hernandez asked for leniency, pointing to how he has been stuck in solitary confinement since his arrest. Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024 Most legal observers expect Trump to avoid jail time, given his status as a first-time offender and sentences handed down for the same crime in other cases. Patrick Maguire, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024 Here, those assuming power can be quickly humbled, either through robust checks and balances on their power or via the stunning verdicts often handed down in the court of public opinion. David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 The Republican National Committee (RNC) filed an emergency appeal to ensure that election officials do not leverage a lower court’s ruling handed down Wednesday finding such disqualification violates the state constitution. Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hand down 

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hand down was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near hand down

Cite this Entry

“Hand down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand%20down. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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)

More from Merriam-Webster on hand down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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