adverb
1.
a. : in one's possession
when he had enough money in hand he bought a car
b. : in control
kept the children in hand by a system of rewards and punishments
c. : at one's disposal
for a poor man he had a large amount of property in hand because of his position
: to spare
a race won with plenty of time in hand
2. obsolete : with one or accompanying one often on a leash
3.
a. : in preparation
a new play in hand
: under consideration
took the matter in hand at a board meeting
: in course of transaction
a business deal in hand
b. : under effective control or management
got the business in hand before planning new sales campaigns
4. : hand in hand
5. of a ball : not yet in play or put out of play by the rules of the game — opposed to in play