# try one's hand

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/try-ones-hand
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To attempt a skill, craft, trade, or action, possibly for the first time.

## Examples

- I want to try my hand at painting.
- After watching the cooking show, he decided to try his hand at making fresh pasta for dinner.
- Although he had spent his entire career in finance, he eventually decided to try his hand at landscape photography, seeking a more creative path for his retirement.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.