From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsecond handˈsecond ˌhand1 noun [countable] TMCthe long thin piece of metal that points to the seconds on a clock or watch
Examples from the Corpus
second hand• The second hand had its own dial at the bottom of the face.• The second hand had stopped where it had met the pin inserted near the 55-second mark.second handsecond ˈhand2 adverb 1 if you get something second hand, it is not new and has been used by other people beforeget/buy something second hand We got most of our furniture second hand.2 if you hear something second hand, the person who tells you is not the person who originally said it It may not be true – I only heard it second hand.3 if you experience something second hand, you experience it through other people, rather than directly → (at) first hand at first1(8)Examples from the Corpus
get/buy something second hand• They may also like to think very carefully about where to go when buying a second hand car.second-handˌsecond-ˈhand, secondhand /ˌsekəndˈhænd◂/ ●●○ adjective 1 OLD/NOT NEWsecond-hand things are not new when you get them, because they were owned by someone else before you second-hand clothes a second-hand carsecondhand store/shop etc (=a shop that sells second-hand things)2 second-hand information or knowledge is told to you by someone who is not the person who originally said it – used to show disapproval OPP first-handsecond-hand reports/accounts second-hand accounts of mass killingsExamples from the Corpus
second-hand• "Is that table new?" "No, we got it second-hand."• Do you know where I can buy a second-hand bicycle?• Max spent the whole afternoon looking around a second-hand book store.• Estate agents rank in public esteem with double-glazing salesmen, second-hand car dealers - behind even politicians and journalists.• For example second-hand car deals are usually contracts for the sale of specific goods.• second-hand clothing• This outfit specialises in reselling second-hand equipment.second-hand reports/accounts• But as is often the case with such second-hand reports, they were never amplified by other segments of the national media.From Longman Business Dictionarysecond-handˌsecond-ˈhand adjective not new, and having one or more previous ownersSYNpre-owned AmE, USEDImported second-hand vehicles could eat into the demand for new cars. —second-hand adverbThe solution for small businesses may be to buy their IT equipment second-hand. 