ENGLISH
REFERENCE

old hand

idiom
Meaning

A person who is experienced at a certain activity.


Examples
SIMPLE

He is an old hand at fixing cars.

CONTEXTUAL

Since she is an old hand at organizing events, the party went perfectly without any problems.

COMPLEX

As an old hand in the world of international diplomacy, the ambassador knew exactly how to handle the delicate negotiations.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    any old nook or cranny

    Alternative form of any nook or cranny.

  2. 02

    back of one's hand

    A display of disrespect or scorn.

  3. 03

    bad old days

    The past, seen as a time when things were worse.

  4. 04

    bear a hand

    To make haste; to help quickly.

  5. 05

    big hand

    Synonym of minute hand (on a clock face).

  6. 06

    big old

    Emphatically or impressively big; really big.

  7. 07

    bite someone's hand off

    To enthusiastically accept an offer.

  8. 08

    bite the hand that feeds one

    To cause harm to a benefactor (especially one that one is dependent on, thus with the idea that this behaviour is self-damaging).

Last updated April 17, 2026