1 A2 neutral
To give something to each person in a group.
"Volunteers handed out free sandwiches to the homeless."
separable
hand out
A2 neutral separable transitive
To distribute something to a number of people, either physically or figuratively.
In plain English
To give things to a group of people, one at a time.
What does "hand out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To give advice, criticism, or punishment to people.
"The judge handed out heavy fines to everyone involved in the scam."
separable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
To provide financial assistance or charity to people.
"The government was accused of handing out money without proper controls."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To use your hand to move something outward to people around you.
Actually means
To give things to a group of people, one at a time.
Usage tip
One of the most common phrasal verbs in everyday English. Used for flyers, food, advice, punishment, and more. The noun form 'handout' (one word) refers to a leaflet or financial aid. Common in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "hand out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
flyer leaflet food advice punishment sentence prize
How to conjugate "hand out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hand out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hands out
he/she/it
Past simple
handed out
yesterday
Past participle
handed out
have + pp
-ing form
handing out
continuous
Hear "hand out" in the wild
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Other ways to say "hand out"
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Keep exploring
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