second-hand
adjective
[ ˈsɛk(ə)nd hand ]
• (of goods) having had a previous owner; not new.
• "a second-hand car"
• (of information or experience) accepted on another's authority and not from original investigation.
• "second-hand knowledge of her country"
second-hand
adverb
• on the basis that something has had a previous owner.
• "tips on the pitfalls to avoid when buying second-hand"
• on the basis of what others have said; indirectly.
• "I was discounting anything I heard second-hand"
Similar:
indirectly,
at second hand,
on the bush/jungle telegraph,
on the grapevine,
second hand
noun
• an extra hand in some watches and clocks that moves round to indicate the seconds.
at second hand
• by hearsay rather than direct observation or experience.
