From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishhand something ↔ down phrasal verb1 GIVEto give or leave something to people who will live after you to The ring was handed down to her from her grandmother. stories handed down by word of mouth → hand-me-down2 SAY/STATE hand down a decision/ruling/sentence etc to officially announce a decision, punishment etc → hand→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
hand down• Too weak to stand, she gave in to the gentle pressure of his hands and sat down.• We stopped outside the church door and the driver handed us down.• Wyatt felt a surge of desolation in the knuckles of his right hand.• He didn't reply, just raised his hand and pointed down at the town.• Once, in a forgetful moment, he moved his hands sensuously down her stomach.• As his hands slid down her upper arms and he drew her slowly but inexorably towards him, her throat grew dry.• My idea of checking out a tunnel is throwing a hand grenade down it.• Your leading hand slaps down on the punch as you simultaneously punch over the top and into the opponent's face.hand to• A hand came down to check that John was able to breathe.• His hand slipped down to encircle her throat.• Julia handed it down to him.• His hand slipped down to his belt.• He sprawled on the ground and hands reached down to pick him up.• As the hands go down to the floor, the right knee is cocked up near the right shoulder.• The parents hand their sickness down to the kids, right?• Her flailing hand slipped down to the pack, wrenching its cords open, just as cruel fingers seized her arm.hand down a decision/ruling/sentence etc• She is expected soon to hand down a ruling.• The commission will seek to arbitrate a resolution before handing down a decision in late summer.• Just a few months earlier, the Supreme Court had handed down a decision inviting states to pass abortion restrictions. 