hand over hand
/ˌhand əʊvə ˈhand/adverb
1With each hand brought successively over the other, as in climbing up or down a rope, or rapidly hauling at one.
2 Swimming. With each arm alternately brought out of the water from behind and with a circular sweep returned to the water in front.
- Front crawl is now the usual term for this method of swimming..
3Chiefly Nautical. With rapid and continuous advances, especially in to come up hand over hand. Compare hand over fist. Now rare.
4 Figurative (especially with reference to the making of money). Rapidly and continuously; methodically, easily.
adjective
1 Swimming. Designating a method of swimming performed hand over hand. Now chiefly historical.
2 Generally. Of an action or act: performed with each hand brought successively over the other.
Origin
Late 16th century (in an earlier sense). From hand + over + hand.