hand down
Third Person
hands down
Present Participle
handing down
Past Tense
handed down
Past Participle
handed down
1
to give something valuable, like family traditions, skills, or items, from one generation to the next
- He decided to hand down his grandfather's antique pocket watch to his son.
- She handed her childhood books down to her younger cousins.
- He plans to hand down the family business to his children when he retires.
- The leather jacket he's wearing was handed down to him from his cousin, who used to be a biker.
2
to formally announce something such as a decision or judgment
transitive
- The Supreme Court will hand down its ruling on the case next week.
- The board of directors will hand their decision down regarding the proposed merger.
- The school committee will hand down its decision on the new curriculum at the upcoming meeting.
- The judge is expected to hand the sentence down in the high-profile trial today.
- The president is expected to hand down an executive order to address the issue.