old hand

See synonyms for old hand on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a person who is experienced in or familiar with a subject, area, procedure, etc.: The guide you just hired is an old hand at leading safaris.

Origin of old hand

1
First recorded in 1775–85

Words Nearby old hand

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use old hand in a sentence

  • Like a Washington old-hand, Brown knows that all the attention is good for the coffers.

    Scott Brown's Wall Street Shuffle | Samuel P. Jacobs | June 28, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • Another old hand, Henry Kaufman, once the most respected economists on Wall Street, is sounding a similar theme.

    The Looming Banking Battle | Jeff Madrick | November 12, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • "You must be a very old hand in the business," said the captive, with a laugh.

    Frank Merriwell's Bravery | Burt L. Standish
  • Jasper pulled his shaky old hand through her arm, and half-carried, half-dragged him down to the parlor.

    A Very Naughty Girl | L. T. Meade
  • Down came a shaking, hot old hand in a rough caress, and up a gallant young tail to wave like a banner.

    Greyfriars Bobby | Eleanor Atkinson
  • I shouldn't ha' dared to have tried that on an old hand—begging your pardon; I mean a real—a scoundrel.

    Rhoda Fleming, Complete | George Meredith
  • The reader must judge for himself whether this first paper is the work of an old hand or a novice.

    A Mortal Antipathy | Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

British Dictionary definitions for old hand

old hand

noun
  1. a person who is skilled at something through long experience

  2. Australian informal (in the 19th century) an ex-convict

  1. Australian informal a person who is long established in a place

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012