handed-down
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Passed along from generation to generation: Describes something, such as a story, tradition, object, or piece of knowledge, that has been transmitted from one person or group to another over time, often within a family or community.
- Received from a predecessor: Refers to an interpretation, custom, or item that is not original but has been accepted and passed on by successive individuals.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The quilt is a handed-down family heirloom.
- They follow handed-down traditions from their ancestors.
- Among scholars, a handed-down interpretation is one received from earlier commentators.
Advanced Usage
- "handed-down wisdom": Knowledge or advice that has been passed through generations.
- She relied on the handed-down wisdom of her grandmother.
- In academic/religious contexts: Often used to describe interpretations or texts transmitted through a chain of scholars.
- The handed-down manuscript contained marginal notes from centuries of scribes.
Variants and Related Words
- Hand down (phrasal verb): To transmit or bequeath something to a successor.
- The judge will hand down a verdict tomorrow. (This is a different, though related, usage meaning to formally announce a decision.)
- He plans to hand down his watch to his son.
- Hand-me-down (noun): An item, especially clothing, passed on from one person to another.
- As the youngest, she always wore her sister's hand-me-downs.
Synonyms
- Traditional: Long-established or inherited.
- Hereditary: Passed on from one's ancestors.
- Tralatitious (formal, rare): Passed down or transmitted, especially of interpretations.
Antonyms
- Original: Created directly and not imitated.
- Innovative: Featuring new methods; advanced and original.
Related Phrases
- Passed down: A more common phrase with the same meaning.
- These recipes have been passed down for generations.
- Handed on: Similar to "handed down," emphasizing transmission.
- The legend was handed on orally.
Adjective
- having been passed along from generation to generation
- among Biblical critics a tralatitious interpretation is one received by expositor from expositor