hand down

verb

handed down; handing down; hands down

transitive verb

1

: to transmit in succession (as from father to son)

2

: to make official formulation of and express (the opinion of a court)

Examples of hand down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And since Roe was overturned, those same judges have handed down extreme rulings limiting women's vital reproductive health care services. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

Rulings have not yet been handed down but could come this week. —Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024

Cannon has been heavily scrutinized by Trump’s critics over the past year for handing down rulings in his classified documents case that were unconventional, slow to arrive, or favorable to him. —Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 29 Oct. 2024

Johnston briefly addressed the court before his sentence was handed down by D.C. —Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

hand down

verb

1

: to pass down from older to younger (as from parent to child)

2

: to form and express a judicial decision

Legal Definition

hand down

transitive verb

1

: to deliver (the decision or opinion of an appellate court) to the proper office of an inferior court

2

: to make an official formulation of and announce (the decision of a court)