Handback

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of giving something back to its earlier owner or controlling party, such as a responsibility or piece of property ; the passing back of a ball or object from one player to another in a game
2. Returning control or ownership of something to the person or body who previously held it ; a pass sent back to a teammate who gave it up earlier
3. The transfer of a duty, asset, or authority back to its original holder ; the return of a ball to the player who first passed it

Etymology: "Handback" is a plain compound of "hand" and "back", combining the two words in their ordinary senses: something passed back into someone's hands. The word is a noun and verb formed in English by joining these two common words, and its meaning follows directly from the parts. The exact date of its first appearance is not something this account can pin down, so the history rests on the transparent combination itself.