hand down — to give something to someone who is younger or comes after you, especially as an inheritance or tradition
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: to give something to someone who is younger or comes after you, especially as an inheritance or tradition
Pronunciation (IPA): /hænd daʊn/
Example Sentences
- My dad handed down his terrible cooking skills, and now I can burn water too!
- The family recipe has been handed down for five generations.
- The court will hand down its decision next week.
hand down
NOUN[/hænd daʊn/]
to give something to someone who is younger or comes after you, especially as an inheritance or tradition
to give something to someone who is younger or comes after you, especially as an inheritance or tradition
As traditions hand down, family honor expands down through generations!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrasal verb combines 'hand' (from Old English 'hond', meaning to grasp or hold) and 'down' (from Old English 'dun', meaning downward). It originated from the physical action of passing something downward from one person to another, later evolving to mean transferring knowledge, traditions, or possessions across generations.
Breakdown
hand (to give or pass with the hand) + down (downward, to a lower level or future generation). The combination creates the sense of transmitting something from one generation to the next.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My dad handed down his terrible cooking skills, and now I can burn water too!”
“The family recipe has been handed down for five generations.”
“The court will hand down its decision next week.”
“She handed down her shopping addiction along with her credit cards.”
📚Related Words
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