SECOND-HAND

n.Possession received from the first possessor.

SECOND-HAND

a. 1. Not original or primary; received from another.
The have but a second-hand or implicit knowledge. Locke.
2. Not new; that has been used by another; as a second-hand book.

second-hand

second-hand ▶adjective 1 (of goods ) having had a previous owner; not new: a second-hand car. • denoting a shop where second-hand goods can be bought: a second-hand bookshop. 2 (of information or experience ) accepted on another's authority and not from original investigation: second-hand knowledge of her country. ▶adverb 1 on the basis that something has had a previous owner: tips on the pitfalls to avoid when buying second-hand. 2 on the basis of what others have said; indirectly: I was discounting anything I heard second-hand. PHRASES at second hand by hearsay rather than direct observation or experience.

second-hand smoke

second-hand smoke ▶noun N. Amer. another term for secondary smoke.

second-hand

second-hand adjective 1 a second-hand car: used, old, nearly new, worn, pre-owned, handed-down, cast-off; informal hand-me-down, reach-me-down. ANTONYMS new. 2 they shouldn't have to rely on second-hand information: indirect, secondary, derivative, derived, vicarious. ANTONYMS first-hand. ▶adverb the information was invariably gathered second-hand: indirectly, at second hand, on the bush /jungle telegraph; informal on the grapevine. ANTONYMS directly.