handout
Americannoun
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a portion of food or the like given to a needy person, as a beggar.
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any printed, typed, mimeographed, or photocopied copy of information, as a speech, policy statement, or fact sheet given to reporters, attendees at a meeting, or the like.
-
anything given away for nothing, as a free sample of a product by an advertiser.
Etymology
Origin of handout
First recorded in 1880–85 handout for def. 1 and in 1905–10 handout for def. 2; noun use of verb phrase hand out
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Seoul has offered cash handouts, childcare support and infertility treatment aid to address the issue.
From Barron's
Ahead of the February 8 general election, all three major parties offered various populist handouts and socioeconomic policies to boost the economy.
From Barron's
They were queuing to register at a centre for the displaced, offered a small handout of cash, food and toiletries by volunteers.
From BBC
A mix of government pensions, food handouts and subsidized housing provides an ever-more tattered safety net.
From Los Angeles Times
I don’t want to polish it off too quickly or I’ll look like I’m begging for handouts.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
