hand to hand meaning

• adv.
  
  see hand-to-hand adj.: to fight hand to hand
  
  =>hand (23)
• 
  [American slang]
  adv. phr. Close together, near enough to hit each other. The two soldiers fought hand to hand until one fell badly wounded. In modern naval warfare, men seldom fight hand to hand.
  Compare: FACE TO FACE.
  

• at hand:    Adjective: at hand ...
• by hand:    Adverb: by handWit ...
• hand:    Noun: hand &n ...

Examples

1. babies were passed from hand to hand in blankets.
2. jews passed the store hand to hand up the gangway.
3. they came in crowds, and the kettle was passing from hand to hand.
4. they lifted earth in baskets, passed bricks from hand to hand and dragged heavy stones with ropes over their shoulders.
5. winged love in flight, heart to heart, hand to hand