Nautiterm: (Nautical Terms Explained) – “Hand Over Fist”

Nautiterm: (Nautical Terms Explained) – “Hand Over Fist” Hand over hand was a British term for the act of moving quickly up a rope or hoisting a sail, which was a matter of pride and competition among sailors. It is thought that American sailors changed this term to ‘hand over fist’, and the term now means to advance or accumulate rapidly.