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• second hand
  second hand

  noun

  the hand that indicates the seconds on a clock or watch.
• second-hand
  second-hand

  adjective

  previously owned or used

second hand

American  

[sek-uhnd hand, sek-uhnd hand] / ˈsɛk ənd ˌhænd, ˈsɛk ənd ˈhænd /

noun

• second hands
  plural

1. the hand that indicates the seconds on a clock or watch.

2. an assistant or helper, as to a worker or foreman.

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idioms

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

   She had the news at second hand.

second-hand ¹ British  

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

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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 British  

noun

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

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second hand More Idioms  

1. see at second hand.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• second hands
  plural

Etymology

Origin of second hand

1425–75 second hand for def. 3; 1750–60 second hand for def. 1; late Middle English

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

second hand second-hand

A charity offering parents the chance to pick up second hand school uniforms for free said demand for its services "has never been higher".

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

Besides going for American labels, they are also buying European luxury goods second hand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

The hardworking mother of three daughters called Los Angeles home and collected much of the material for her work from the city’s many flea markets and second hand shops.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Its Birkin handbags continue to sell at a premium to retail prices in the second hand market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Now I watched the second hand tick-tick-tick its steady pattern.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

His wife took pictures of shoplifters selling off their stolen merchandise in a second-hand goods store, but police could not identify them until the business-owners shared the images on social media.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

Councillor Gemma Furnivall set up a second-hand uniform bank in Fareham after noticing how quickly her eight-year-old son was growing out of things.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

Thomas Bachellerie, who used to manage a games shop in Lyon, warned that second-hand sales sometimes made up almost a third of stores' turnover -- a problem since digital games "cannot be resold or lent".

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

He says he has "never seen the like of this after 30 years in the second-hand book trade".

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

The following morning, just before the father left for his beastly second-hand car garage, Matilda slipped into the cloakroom and got hold of the hat he wore each day to work.

From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl