Second-hand

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Secondhand \Sec"ond*hand`\, a.
     1. Not original or primary; received from another; as,
        secondhand information.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
              They have but a secondhand or implicit knowledge.


                                                    --Locke.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Not new; already or previously possessed or used by
        another; as, a secondhand book, garment.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {At second hand}. See {Hand}, n., 10.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  secondhand
       adj 1: derived from what is primary or original; not firsthand; "a
              secondhand report"; "a secondhand account of a memory
              of something once read"; "most of our knowledge is
              secondhand"
       2: previously used or owned by another; "bought a secondhand
          (or used) car" [syn: {used}]
       adv : by indirect means; "I heard about it only secondhand or
             thirdhand"; "he prefers to buy secondhand"