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
According to her Outside interview, 33-year-old Woodley is an old hand at camping thanks to family outings at Leo Carrillo State Park in Malibu and other California coastal haunts.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2025
Salah-Eddine Oulad M’hand is a relative old hand at 20.
From BBC • Jul. 25, 2024
“Don’t stand there talking about it, kid,” an old hand growled.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 6, 2022
Grandpa Ed puts one old hand on her arm.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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.
