Phrase guide

on hand

prep_phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Available; ready; in stock.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • If you have cornstarch on hand, use it; otherwise, try a little flour.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English *onhande, onhende, from Old English onhende (“on hand, demanding attention”), from Proto-Germanic *anahandijaz. Equivalent to on- + hand. Cognate with Icelandic áhendur (“within reach”). Compare offhand.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: a mà — available
  • Chinese Mandarin: 手頭 /手头 (shǒutóu) — available
  • Finnish: käytettävissä — available
  • Finnish: saatavilla — available
  • Finnish: käsillä — available
  • Georgian: ხელთარსებული (xeltarsebuli) — available
  • Georgian: ხელმისაწვდომი (xelmisac̣vdomi) — available
  • German: zur Hand — available
  • German: vorhanden — available
  • Ancient Greek: πρόχειρος (prókheiros) — available
  • Japanese: 手元に (temoto ni) — available
  • Polish: pod ręką — available
  • Polish: na podorędziu — available
  • Portuguese: em mãos — available
  • Russian: в распоряже́нии (v rasporjažénii) — available
  • Russian: в нали́чии (v nalíčii) — available
  • Russian: под руко́й (pod rukój) — available
  • Russian: на рука́х (na rukáx) — available
  • Serbo-Croatian: при руци — available
  • Serbo-Croatian: на располагању — available
  • Serbo-Croatian: расположиво — available
  • Serbo-Croatian: pri ruci — available
  • Serbo-Croatian: na raspolaganju — available
  • Serbo-Croatian: raspoloživo — available
  • Spanish: a mano — available
  • Swedish: till hands — available
  • Swedish: tillgänglig — available
  • Welsh: gerllaw — available