Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for First hand for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "First-Hand" — adjective, pronounced /ˈfɜːsthænd/, with the stress on "first".
Narrator: First-hand means obtained directly from the original source or personal experience.
Narrator: In plain English, first-hand information is from the source — like a first-hand account of an event.
Narrator: It comes from the idea of receiving something directly in one's hand, without intermediaries.
Narrator: "A first-hand account" describes a report from someone who witnessed an event directly.
Narrator: It differs from second-hand because first-hand is direct, whereas second-hand is from someone else.
Narrator: "First-hand experience" is a sense meaning knowledge gained by doing or seeing something oneself.
Narrator: Journalism, research, evidence, education and everyday speech all rely on the word first-hand.
Narrator: So remember: first-hand means direct, from the idea of receiving in one's hand.
Speaker A: What does first-hand mean?
Speaker B: Direct! FIRST-HAND comes from the idea of receiving directly in one's hand, so it means obtained from the original source or personal experience.
Speaker A: So a first-hand account is from a witness?
Speaker B: Yes — not hearsay!
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "A first-hand account"; "first-hand experience"; "first-hand information" — report, knowledge and facts.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Don't write firsthand as one word in British English, because the British spelling is first-hand, hyphenated.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: 'Direct' the general cousin, 'primary' the source twin, 'immediate' the close alternative. The word keeps its direct charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "first-hand" in AI prompts — useful for journalism apps and research tools.
Speaker A: So a prompt could frame journalism?
Speaker B: Right. For a journalism app, you'd write:
Prompt: Write a short guide to gathering first-hand accounts, naming two methods.
Speaker A: How about a research tool?
Speaker B: Ask the model to advise:
Prompt: Draft a guide to first-hand research, naming two techniques.
Speaker A: Could it help with an evidence bot?
Speaker B: Yes, you can frame proof:
Prompt: Summarise in two sentences why first-hand evidence matters, naming one reason.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: For a writing chatbot, try this:
Prompt: Write a short note on using first-hand accounts, naming one tip.
First hand — meaning in Arabic & definition More F courses GL Dictionary