[hand on]{v.} To pass along to the next person who should have it. •/Everyone in class should read this, so when you have finished, please hand it on./ •/In the early days, news was handed on from one person to another./
[handout]{n.} 1. A free gift of food, clothes, etc. •/The homeless people were standing in a long line for various handouts./ 2. A typed and photocopied sheet or sheets of paper outlining the main points made by a speaker. •/Please look at page three of the handout./
[hand out]{v.}, {informal} To give (things of the same kind) to several people. •/The teacher handed out the examination papers./ •/At the Christmas party Santa Claus handed out the presents under the tree./ •/Handing out free advice to all your friends will not make them like you./ Compare: GIVE OUT(3).
[hand over]{v.} To give control or possession of; give (something) to another person. •/When the teacher saw Johnny reading a comic book in study period, she made him hand over the book./ •/When Mr. Jones gets old, he will hand over his business to his son./ Syn.: FORK OVER, GIVE UP(1), TURN OVER(3).
[hand over fist]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Fast and in large amounts. •/Fred may get a pony for Christmas because his father is making money hand over fist./ •/Business is so bad that the store on the corner is losing money hand over fist./
[hand over hand]{adv. phr.} By taking hold with one hand over the other alternately. •/The only way to climb a rope is hand over hand./
[hand-pick]{v.}, {informal} To choose very carefully. •/This debating team should win because its members are all hand-picked./ •/The political bosses hand-picked a man for mayor who would agree with them./
[hands-down]{adj.}, {informal} 1. Easy. •/The Rangers won a hands-down victory in the tournament./ 2. Unopposed; first; clear. •/Johnny was the hands-down favorite for president of the class./
[hands down]{adv.}, {informal} 1. Without working hard; easily. •/The Rangers won the game hands down./ 2. Without question or doubt; without any opposition; plainly. •/Johnny was bands down the best player on the team./
[hands off]{informal} Keep your hands off or do not interfere; leave that alone. — Used as a command. •/I was going to touch the machine, but the man cried, "Hands off!" and I let it alone./
[hands-off]{adj.}, {informal} Leaving alone, not interfering; inactive. •/The United States told the European governments to follow a hands-off policy toward Latin America./ •/I did not approve of his actions, but I have a hands-off rule in personal matters, so I said nothing./
[handsome is as handsome does]{informal} A person must act well and generously so that he will be truly worth respecting. — A proverb. •/Everyone thinks that Bon is a very handsome boy, but he is very mean too. Handsome is as handsome does./ Compare: FINE FEATHERS DO NOT MAKE PINE BIRDS.
[hands up]{informal} Hold up your hands! Put your hands up high and keep them there! — Used as a command. •/The sheriff pointed his gun at the outlaws and called out, "Hands up!"/ Syn.: REACH FOR THE SKY.
[hand something to someone on a silver platter]{v. phr.} To give a person a reward that has not been earned. •/The lazy student expected his diploma to be handed to him on a silver platter./
[hand to hand]{adv. phr.} Close together, near enough to hit each other. •/The two soldiers fought hand to hand until one fell badly wounded./ •/In modern naval warfare, men seldom fight hand to hand./ Compare: FACE TO FACE.
[hand-to-hand]{adj.} Close to each other; near enough to hit each other. •/The result of the battle was decided in hand-to-hand combat./ •/When the police tried to break up the riot, there was hand-to-hand fighting with fists, stones, and clubs./ Compare: FACE-TO-FACE.
[hand-to-mouth]{adj.} Not providing for the future; living from day to day; not saving for later. •/Many native tribes lead a hand-to-mouth existence, content to have food for one day at a time./ •/John is not a saving boy; he spends his money without thought for the future, and lives a hand-to-mouth life./ See: LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH.
[handwriting on the wall]{n. phr.} A sign that something bad will happen. •/When Bill’s team lost four games in a row, he saw the handwriting on the wall./ •/John’s employer had less and less work for him; John could read the handwriting on the wall and looked for another job./
[hang] See: GO HANG, GIVE A HANG or CARE A HANG, GIVE ONE ENOUGH ROPE, AND HE WILL HANG HIMSELF, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR.
[hang around]{v.}, {informal} 1. To pass time or stay near without any real purpose or aim; loaf near or in. •/The principal warned the students not to hang around the corner drugstore after school./ Compare: HANG OUT(1). 2. To spend time or associate, •/Jim hangs around with some boys who live in his neighborhood./
[hang back] or [hang off] or [hang behind] 1. To stay some distance behind or away, be unwilling to move forward. •/Mary offered the little girl candy, but she was shy and hung back./ 2. To hesitate or be unwilling to do something. •/Lou wanted Fred to join the club, but Fred hung off./
[hang behind] See: HANG BACK(1).
[hang by a hair] See: HANG BY A THREAD.
[hang by a thread] or [hang by a hair] {v. phr.} To depend on a very small thing; be in doubt. •/For three days Tom was so sick that his life hung by a thread./ •/As Joe got ready to kick a field goal, the result of the game hung by a hair./ Compare: HANG IN THE BALANCE.
[hanger] See: CREPE HANGER.
[hang fire]{v. phr.} 1. To fail or be slow in shooting or firing. •/Smith pulled the trigger, but the gun hung fire and the deer escaped./ 2. To be slow in beginning; to be delayed; to wait. •/The boys' plans for organizing a scout troop hung fire because they could not find a man to be scoutmaster./
[hang heavy] or [hang heavy on one’s hands] {v. phr.} To pass slowly or uninterestingly; be boring with little to do. •/The vacation time hung heavy on Dick’s hands because all his friends were away at camp./ Compare: ON ONE’S HANDS.
[hang in effigy] or [burn in effigy] {v. phr.} To hang or burn a figure, usually a stuffed dummy, representing a person who is disliked or scorned. •/When the high school team lost the championship game, the coach was hung in effigy by the townspeople./ •/During World War II, Hitler was sometimes burned in effigy in the United States./
[hang in the balance]{v. phr.} To have two equally possible results; to be in doubt; be uncertain. •/Until Jim scored the winning touchdown, the outcome of the game hung in the balance./ •/She was very sick and her life hung in the balance for several days./ Compare: HANG BY A THREAD.
[hang in (there)]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To persevere; not to give up; to stick to a project and not lose faith or courage. •/Hang in there old buddy; the worst is yet to come./
[hang it]{interj.}, {informal} An exclamation used to express annoyance or disappointment. •/Oh, hang it! I forgot to bring the book I wanted to show you./ •/Hang it all, why don’t you watch where you’re going?/
[hang off] See: HANG BACK.
[hang on]{v.} 1. To hold on to something, usually tightly. •/Jack almost fell off the cliff, but managed to hang on until help came./ Syn.: HOLD ON(1). 2a. To continue doing something; persist. •/The grocer was losing money every day, but he hung on, hoping that business would improve./ Compare: HOLD OUT, STICK OUT. 2b. To hold a lead in a race or other contest while one’s opponents try to rally. •/The favorite horse opened an early lead and hung on to win as two other horses almost passed him in the final stretch./ •/Bunning, staked to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, hung on to heat the Dodgers 6-4./ 3. To continue to give trouble or cause suffering. •/Lou’s cold hung on from January to April./ 4. To continue listening on the telephone. •/Jerry asked John, who had called him on the phone, to hung on while he ran for a pencil and a sheet of paper./ Compare: HOLD ON(3).
[hang one on]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To give a heavy blow to; hit hard. •/The champion hung one on his challenger in the second round and knocked him out of the ring./ 2. To get very drunk. •/After Smith lost his job, he went to a bar and hung one on./
[hang one’s head]{v. phr.} To bend your head forward in shame. •/Johnny hung his head when the teacher asked him if he broke the window./ Compare: HIDE ONE’S HEAD.
[hang on the words of] also [hang on the lips of] {v. phr.} To listen very attentively to. •/Ann hangs on every word of her history teacher and takes very careful notes. / •/As he went on with his speech, his auditors, deeply interested, hung on his lips./
[hang on to]{v.} To hold tightly; keep firmly. •/The child hung on to its mother’s apron, and would not let go./ •/John did not like his job, but decided to hang on to it until he found a better one./
[hang on to one’s mother’s apron strings] See: TIED TO ONE’S MOTHER’S APRON STRINGS.
[hang on to your hat] or [hold on to your hat] or [hold your hat] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. Watch out; be prepared. — Used as a command, usually to warn of an unexpected action. •/"Hold on to your hat," said Jim as he stepped on the gas and the car shot forward./ 2. Get ready for a surprise. — Used as a command, usually to warn of unexpected news. •/"Hold on to your hat," said Mary. "Jim asked me to marry him."/
[hang out]{v.} 1. {slang} To spend your time idly or lounging about. •/The teacher complained that Joe was hanging out in poolrooms instead of doing his homework./ Compare: HANG AROUND(1). 2. {slang} To live; reside. •/Two policemen stopped the stranger and asked him where he hung out./ 3. To reach out farther than the part below. •/The branches of the trees hung out over the road./ •/The upper floor of that house hangs out above the first./
[hang out one’s shingle]{v. phr.}, {informal} To give public notice of the opening of an office, especially a doctor’s or lawyer’s office, by putting up a small signboard. •/The young doctor hung out his shingle and soon had a large practice./
[hangover]{n.} A bad feeling of nausea and/or headache the day after one has had too much to drink. •/Boy, did I have a hangover after that party yesterday!/
[hang over]{v.} 1. To be going to happen to; threaten. •/Great trouble hangs over the little town because its only factory has closed down./ 2. To remain to be finished or settled. •/The committee took up the business that hung over from its last meeting./
[hang over one’s head]{v. phr.} To be a danger or threat to you. — An overused phrase. •/Over Jimmy’s head hung the teacher’s suspicion that Jimmy had cheated in the final examination./ •/Death hangs over a bullfighter’s head every time he performs./
[hang round] See: HANG AROUND.
[hang ten]{v.}, {slang} 1. To be an outstanding performer on a surfboard or on a skateboard (referring to the user’s ten toes). •/I bet I am going to be able to hang ten if you let me practice on your skateboard./ 2. To be a survivor despite great odds. •/Don’t worry about Jack, he can hang ten anywhere!/
[hang together]{v.} 1. To stay united; help and defend one another. •/The club members always hung together when one of them was in trouble./ Syn.: STICK TOGETHER. Compare: STAND BY, STAND UP FOR. 2. {informal} To form a satisfactory whole; fit together. •/Jack’s story of why he was absent from school seems to hang together./
[hang up]{v.} 1. To place on a hook, peg, or hanger. •/When the children come to school, they hang up their coats in the cloakroom./ 2a. To place a telephone receiver back on its hook and break the connection. •/Carol’s mother told her she had talked long enough on the phone and made her hang up./ 2b. To put a phone receiver back on its hook while the other person is still talking. — Used with "on". •/I said something that made Joe angry, and he hung up on me./ 3a. {informal} To cause to be stuck or held so as to be immovable. — Usually used in the passive. •/Ann’s car was hung up in a snowdrift and she had to call a garageman to get it out./ 3b. {informal} To stick or get held so as to be immovable. •/A big passenger ship hung up on a sandbar for several hours./ 4. {informal} To cause a wait; delay. •/Rehearsals for the school play were hung up by the illness of some of the actors./ 5. {informal} To set (a record.) •/Bob hung up a school record for long distance swimming./
