hand-me-down

[ hand-mee-doun, han- ]

noun

1. an article of clothing passed on to another person after being used, outgrown, etc.:

   The younger children wore the hand-me-downs of the older ones.

2. any item not new that is or can be used again:

   Our office furniture was a collection of hand-me-downs.

adjective

1. passed along for further use by others:

   some hand-me-down clothes from my older brother.

2. borrowed or adapted from other sources; derivative:

   a street full of hand-me-down architecture.

hand-me-down

noun

1. 1. something, esp an outgrown garment, passed down from one person to another
   2. ( as modifier )

      a hand-me-down dress

2. 1. anything that has already been used by another
   2. ( as modifier )

      hand-me-down ideas

Word History and Origins

Origin of hand-me-down¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

The heaps of gifted and hand-me-down pink frilly clothes and accessories grew far faster than we were able to sort and store them.

From The Daily Beast

You might not have been so cheap this year and accepted a hand-me-down (I mean ALL they want is the candy anyhow).

From The Daily Beast

So back to the issue at hand—is there a reason not to wear hand-me-down costumes or to tell the kids not to share?

From The Daily Beast

These hand-me-down religions seldom fit, and professional theology, it seems to me, is mostly a dealing in ol' clo'.

From Project Gutenberg

For decades, collar-buttons have been on the hand-me-down shelves of humor; it is a mistake in the catalogue.

From Project Gutenberg

Because the hand-me-down knowledge is no longer backed by the mental capacity of a Challon.

From Project Gutenberg

You mean that clodhopper with the tight-fitting hand-me-down in the seat behind usyesterday?

From Project Gutenberg

Glass was a mild, colourless, middle-aged man, attired in worn hand-me-down garments.

From Project Gutenberg