on hand
Idioms-
In one's possession, available, as in The business needs to have enough cash on hand . [c. 1100]
-
Present, as in Jim was always on hand to help . [Mid-1800s]
-
Soon, imminent. See at hand , def. 2.
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.
Every meal prep begins with assembling what’s on hand.
From Salon • Jun. 28, 2026
They covered their faces with wet handkerchiefs as they had no proper masks on hand.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
Film legend Tom Cruise was on hand to pay tribute to Beckham, who he said had changed the face of football in the United States.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
One of the major differences between Huang and Raman’s campaigns was the amount of cash each had on hand to reach out to voters.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
It used to be the hardest and most important of all the services of a good doctor to be on hand at the time of death and to provide comfort, usually in the home.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
