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hand back

A2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To give something back to the person who owned it or gave it to you.

Literal meaning: To use your hand to move something back to where it came from.

Meanings

1 A2 neutral

To physically give something back to its owner or the person who gave it to you.

"The teacher handed back the graded essays at the start of class."

Grammar: separable
2 B1 neutral

To return authority, control, or responsibility to a previous holder.

"After the peace agreement, the territory was handed back to its original government."

""Britain handed back Hong Kong to China in 1997 after more than 150 years of colonial rule.""

— BBC News, 1997
Grammar: separable
3 B2 neutral

(Broadcasting) To pass control of a programme back to the main presenter or studio.

"The field reporter finished her segment and handed back to the anchor in the studio."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Very common in classroom and office contexts (handing back marked papers, ID, equipment). Also used in broadcast contexts where a presenter passes back to a studio anchor. Widely used in both British and American English.

Commonly used with

passport paper test control microphone keys

Forms

Base
hand back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hands back
he/she/it
Past simple
handed back
yesterday
Past participle
handed back
have + pp
-ing form
handing back
continuous

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Synonyms

return give back restore pass back send back

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