Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (orig. US) food or money given to a beggar.

1887		M. Roberts Western Avernus (1924) 57: Some of the boys said it was a regular hand-out, and that we looked like a crowd of old bummers.
1899		J. Flynt Tramping with Tramps 138: The second consists almost entirely of ‘hand-outs’ or ‘poke-outs,’ which are nothing but bundles of cold food handed out at the back door.
1907		J. London Road 27: Then I got a ‘hand-out.’ My spirits soared, for it was the largest hand-out I had ever seen in a long and varied experience. It was a parcel wrapped in newspapers and as big as a mature suit-case.
1917		‘A-No. 1’ From Coast to Coast with Jack London 46: Been having troubles connecting with a handout, sir?
1925		Odum & Johnson Negro and His Songs (1964) 163: If I could get them good hand-outs, / I’d quit work an’ bum all de time.
1929		Townsville Daily Bull. (Qld) 10 Aug. 16/2: Give them all the fine prints an’ tricks of the trade for workin’ a hand-out.
1934		T. Minehan Boy and Girl Tramps of America (1976) 209: Woman gave me good handout. Half a cake.
1941		K. Tennant Battlers 172: I’m a bagman myself, and I won’t have a chap that comes looking for a hand-out turned down.
1952		M. Millar Vanish in an Instant (2016) 20: ‘What do you think, that I’m a bum wanting a hand-out?’.
1955		D. Niland Shiralee 27: They knew all the hand-outs and rest-huts and all the familiar faces.
1968		N. Heard Howard Street 51: Most, he knew, simply wanted a handout.
1977		in K. Gilbert Living Black 178: I think, really the handout wasn’t really good for them. You know, giving the Aboriginals too many handouts.
1989		Pileggi & Scorsese Goodfellas [film script] 50: Mostly they were looking for a handout.
1995		A. Higgins Donkey’s Years 210: Forever accepting hand-outs, cutting corners.
2000		Indep. 23 Feb. 14: We were never comfortable with the idea of handouts.
2004		I. Rankin Fleshmarket Close (2005) 60: ‘The locals rely a touch too much on hand outs’.

2. in ext. use, any food or a meal.

1888		M.D. Woodward Checkered Years (1937) 10 July 233: Fred came in, warm, and said, ‘Give us a hand-out.’ I gave them raised biscuits, cold beef and potatoes, jelly, and iced milk.
1927		W. Edge Main Stem 180: We had supper at the Statler. It had been a swell hand-out.

3. (US Und.) a bribe.

1952		H. McCoy Corruption City 39: He [...] chatted with the boss’s visitors and took care of the smaller hand-outs.
1983		A. Payne ‘Get Daley!’ Minder [TV script] 63: The bad news is you and Daley aren’t getting any hand-outs.