Phrase guide

change hands

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To become the property of someone else; to be bought or sold.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • The food got a lot worse after the restaurant changed hands.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: trade hands

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

be transferred to another owner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This restaurant changed hands twice last year

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: change owners

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move, displace

Narrower terms: vest, fall, return, pass, devolve, accrue

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 易手 (yìshǒu) — to become the property of someone else.
  • Chinese Mandarin: 倒手 (dǎoshǒu) — to become the property of someone else.
  • Czech: změnit majitele — to become the property of someone else.
  • Finnish: vaihtaa omistajaa — to become the property of someone else.
  • French: changer de main — to become the property of someone else.
  • Hungarian: gazdát cserél — to become the property of someone else.
  • Italian: cambiare di mano — to become the property of someone else.
  • Italian: cambiare proprietario — to become the property of someone else.
  • Italian: cambiare esercente — to become the property of someone else.
  • Spanish: cambiar de manos — to become the property of someone else.
  • Tamil: கைமாறு (kaimāṟu) — to become the property of someone else.
  • Vietnamese: thay tay — to become the property of someone else.
  • Vietnamese: đổi chủ — to become the property of someone else.