Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Third-person singular simple present indicative form of hand down.
  • adverb idiomatic without much effort; easily

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb with no difficulty

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

See hand down

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

The origin of this colloquialism seems to have its roots in mid-19th century horseracing. When a horse jockey is nearing the finish line far ahead of the competition, "with victory certain", he could drop his hands, relaxing his hold on the reins, and still win the race. "By the late 19th century the phrase was being used in non-racing contexts to mean 'with no trouble at all.'"

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