hand-me-down /ˈhændmiˌdaʊn, ˈhæn-/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hand-mee-doun, han-] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–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
3. passed along for further use by others: some hand-me-down clothes from my older brother.
4. borrowed or adapted from other sources; derivative: a street full of hand-me-down architecture.
[Origin: 1870–75]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Labels: DEFINITIONS and SYNONYMS