hænd ˈoʊvər
neutral
beginner
- Base verb:
- hand
- Particle:
- over
- Separable:
- Yes
What does "hand over" mean?
- To give something to another person, especially formally
- To transfer power or responsibility
Examples
- The thief was told to hand over the stolen goods.
- She handed over the keys to the new owner.
- The outgoing president handed power over.
- Please hand over your passport at the checkpoint.
How to use it
Often implies a formal or reluctant transfer.
Word order
Can be separated: 'hand the documents over' or 'hand over the documents'.
Similar expressions
surrender
transfer
relinquish
Opposites
keep
retain
withhold
Related phrasal verbs
- get over
To recover from an illness, shock, or emotional upset
- turn over
To flip something so the other side faces up
- come over
To visit someone's home
- go over
To review or examine carefully
- take over
To gain control of something (company, position, responsibility)
- look over
To examine or check something quickly
Use it in a practice answer
Try "hand over" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.