# change hands

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/change-hands
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To become the property of someone else; to be bought or sold.

## Examples

- This old house will change hands next month.
- The famous painting has changed hands many times since it was first sold in the nineteenth century.
- As the family estate prepared to change hands after decades of ownership, the heirs carefully cataloged every antique to ensure nothing was lost during the transition.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.