When something is handed to you, someone gives it directly to you, placing it in your hand. A teacher might hand back your graded test, or a librarian might hand you the book you requested. The action involves a physical transfer from one person's hand to another.

The word also describes how easily or readily you receive something. When victory is handed to a team because their opponents made terrible mistakes, they didn't have to work hard for it. When success is handed to someone on a silver platter, they receive it without effort or struggle. There's often a hint that getting something handed to you means you didn't earn it the hard way.

You'll also encounter handed when talking about which hand someone prefers to use. A left-handed person writes and throws with their left hand, while a right-handed person favors their right. Some rare people are ambidextrous, meaning they can use both hands equally well. Athletes pay attention to whether opponents are left-handed or right-handed because it affects strategy. For example, a left-handed pitcher throws from an angle that right-handed batters find trickier to read.