/hand"mee down', han"-/ , n.
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.
adj.
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.
[ 1870-75 ]