old hand
Americannoun
noun
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a person who is skilled at something through long experience
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informal (in the 19th century) an ex-convict
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informal a person who is long established in a place
Etymology
Origin of old hand
First recorded in 1775–85
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Its episodic encores are currently airing on Fox as a lead-in to “The Faithful,” whose showrunner, René Echevarria, is an old hand at both network and cable, and whose work includes “The 4400.”
From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026
Rashford, also bidding to earn a World Cup slot with England while on loan from Manchester United, will be experiencing an El Clasico for the first time, but Bellingham is an old hand.
From BBC • Oct. 25, 2025
“Don’t stand there talking about it, kid,” an old hand growled.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 6, 2022
“Those are butterflies,” says cousin Manuel Cavanaugh -- an old hand at mutton bustin’ at age 10.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 17, 2009
“I feel positively like an old hand at this,” Theodora said to Eleanor.
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
