/hand"awf', -of'/ , n.
1. Football.
a. an offensive play in which a player, usually a back, hands the ball to a teammate.
b. the ball itself during the execution of such a transfer: He fumbled the hand-off.
2. Aviation. the condition or period in which control or surveillance of an aircraft is transferred from one control center to another.
Also, handoff .
[ 1895-1900; n. use of v. phrase hand off ]