Word
handout
Phoneticshand·out, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhænˌdaʊt/
UK/hˈændaʊt/
Countable noun Education
Definition
n. a piece of paper with information or instructions that you give to a group of people. It is also a slang word for giving someone money or drugs for free.
n. a printed sheet of information or instructions distributed to a group; also, a slang term for the act of providing money or drugs without charge.
Examples
“The teacher gave us a handout before the test.”
“The charity provides a handout to every family in the neighborhood during the winter months.”
“While the official handout was meant to clarify the new policy, many employees found the language too technical to understand without further explanation.”
Examples
simple
“The teacher gave us a handout before the test.”
contextual
“The charity provides a handout to every family in the neighborhood during the winter months.”
complex
“While the official handout was meant to clarify the new policy, many employees found the language too technical to understand without further explanation.”
Real-World Examples
“This handout image released by the National Park Service shows a storm system moving across the North Rim of Grand Canyon national park on 29 August.” “I wrote my first book as a handout to go with the first television series I wrote and presented on my own – Don’t Die Young on BBC Two.” Etymology
Deverbal from hand out.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
PHRASAL VERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/handout