second hand

[ sek-uhnd hand sek-uhnd hand ]

noun

1. the hand that indicates the seconds on a clock or watch.
2. an assistant or helper, as to a worker or foreman.

second-hand

¹

adjective

1. previously owned or used
2. not from an original source or experience
3. dealing in or selling goods that are not new

   a second-hand car dealer

adverb

1. from a source of previously owned or used goods

   he prefers to buy second-hand

2. not directly

   he got the news second-hand

second hand

²

noun

1. a pointer on the face of a timepiece that indicates the seconds Compare hour hand minute hand

Word History and Origins

Origin of second hand¹

1425–75 second hand fordef 3; 1750–60 second hand fordef 1; late Middle English

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at second hand, from or through an intermediate source or means; secondhand:

   She had the news at second hand.

More idioms and phrases containing second hand

see at second hand .

Example Sentences

“My two biggest inspirations for the first version of this back in 2013 was playing ‘Gone Home’ and the ‘The Jejune Institute,’ watching that documentary and hearing about that second hand and wondering what it would be like to create a live action environmental storytelling experience that also moved beyond one space and was a little more fluid with space and time,” Green says.

From Los Angeles Times

The jury were told Mr Khalife had bought a second hand phone and made a search for “Can a phone be tracked from IMEI?”

From BBC

Kane's found ways to keep costs down too, like buying outfits second hand and customising them himself.

From BBC

Like the second hand of a clock, time cells fire in sequence to map out short periods of time.

From Science Daily

"I picked up an old box camera about 10 years ago in a second hand shop and have always been on the look out for another," said the 49-year-old landscape artist and illustrator from Penderyn, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

From BBC