Definition & Meaning of "Hand over the baton to"

hand over the baton to sb

/hˈand ˌəʊvə ðə bˈatən tʊ ˌɛsbˈiː/

/hˈænd ˌoʊvɚ ðə bɐtˈɑːn tʊ ˌɛsbˈiː/

to hand over the baton to sb

PHRASE

to transfer responsibility or a task from one person to another

to [hand] over the baton to {sb} definition and meaning

What is the origin of the idiom "hand over the baton to someone" and when to use it?

The idiom "hand over the baton to someone" also comes from relay races, where runners pass a baton to their teammate to continue the race. This idiom is used to describe a situation where someone passes on a responsibility or authority to another person.