van hogerhand

Dutch

Etymology

From van combined with a univerbation of hoger (“higher”, comparative of hoog) +‎ hand (“hand”), a fossilized phrase in the now-obsolete dative case.

Prepositional phrase

van hogerhand

1. (idiomatic) From higher up in a hierarchy; from a higher-up; from above.

   Het besluit kwam van hogerhand. ― The decision came from higher up.