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

Those decisions have been handed down after months of consideration, including oral arguments. — Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026

The decision, handed down in Northern California federal court, unlocks a major surge in local mortgage assistance for the Charlotte area, the Observer previously reported. — Chase Jordan october 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson was able to avoid a fine worth $13,611 that was handed down by the NFL through some creative defendant work in an NFL appeals process. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026

Before handing down the sentence, Judge Jeannine Pratt directly addressed Flynn, admonishing him for the selfish actions that shattered his daughters’ lives and their innocence. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 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)