# hand down

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hand-down
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To donate (as second hand.)

## Examples

- I will hand down my old clothes to my younger brother.
- Since my daughter has outgrown her winter coat, I plan to hand it down to our neighbor's child.
- The family tradition was to hand down the antique furniture through each generation, ensuring that the history of the items remained preserved within the household.

---

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.