1. Home
2. Idioms
3. hand out

hand out

---

---

hand something out

 (to someone)

1. to give something out to someone. The judge was known for handing heavy fines out. She handed out large fines to everyone.

2. to pass something, usually papers, out to people. The teacher handed the tests out to the students. Please hand out these papers.

See also: hand, out

hand out something

to give something to each person present Would you please hand out the balloons to the children?

See also: hand, out

hand out

Distribute, as in The teacher handed out the test papers. [Late 1800s] For a synonym, see pass out, def. 1.

See also: hand, out

hand out

v.

1. To distribute something freely; disseminate something: He handed out flyers in the street all morning. I gave the flyers to the volunteer and told her to hand them out quickly.

2. To administer or mete something: It seemed like the jury handed out an arbitrary verdict. The judge is known for handing tough sentences out to juvenile offenders.

See also: hand, out