Definition

1. Verb (Transitive):
   • To give something to someone, especially formally or because it is required: To transfer possession, control, or responsibility of something to another person or authority.
   • To surrender a person to an authority: To deliver a person into the custody of another, such as the police.

Usage

• The verb hand over is used when the transfer is deliberate, often official, and implies a change of control. It is typically followed by the object being transferred and often uses the preposition "to" to indicate the recipient.
• It is a separable phrasal verb. The object (the thing or person being given) can often be placed between "hand" and "over" (e.g., ) or after the phrase (e.g., ).

Examples

• Transferring an object or control:

  • The CEO will hand over the company to his successor next month.
  • Please hand over your passport to the immigration officer.
  • He reluctantly handed the keys over to the new tenant.

• Surrendering a person:

  • The kidnappers were forced to hand over the hostages.
  • The government refused to hand over the suspect to the foreign authorities.

Advanced Usage

• "to hand over power/control": To formally transfer authority.

  • The military regime agreed to hand over power to a civilian government.

• "to hand over the reins": An idiomatic expression meaning to transfer leadership or control.

  • After 30 years, she decided to hand over the reins of the family business.

Variants and Related Words

• Handover (n): The act or process of handing something over.
  • The management transition was smooth after the handover.

Synonyms

• Surrender: To give up control or possession, often under pressure.
• Deliver: To bring and hand over formally.
• Transfer: To move something from one place or person to another.
• Fork over (informal): To hand over, especially money, often reluctantly.
• Turn over: To give someone or something to an authority.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Hand in: To submit something, like homework or a resignation, to an authority figure.
  • You must hand in your report by Friday.
• Hand out: To distribute something to a group of people.
  • The teacher handed out the test papers.

Related Idioms

• Hand over fist: To make or lose money very rapidly.
  • The new product is selling hand over fist. (Note: This idiom uses the words "hand over" but has a distinct, unrelated meaning.)

Verb

1. to surrender someone or something to another
   • the guard delivered the criminal to the police
   • render up the prisoners
   • render the town to the enemy
   • fork over the money