hand it to

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To credit or congratulate (someone); to give (someone) appropriate respect for something they have done.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To yell at, demean or tell off (someone).

Register: slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “hand it to” mean?

To credit or congratulate (someone); to give (someone) appropriate respect for something they have done.

Is “hand it to” formal or informal?

hand it to is generally slang.