Question 1

What does "hand it to someone" mean?

Accepted Answer

To acknowledge that someone has done something particularly well or cleverly, sometimes despite your own rivalry or reluctance.

Question 2

How do you use "hand it to someone" in a sentence?

Accepted Answer

I'll hand it to Tom — he managed to fix the entire system in under an hour.

Question 3

Is "hand it to someone" formal or informal?

Accepted Answer

"hand it to someone" is informal — used mainly in casual conversation. This entry is the full form of 'hand it to', with 'someone' made explicit. The expression is almost always in the construction 'you have to hand it to [name/pronoun]'. The 'it' is idiomatic and refers to no specific object. Used across all English-speaking regions.

hand it to someone

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