have been around

English

Alternative forms

• have been around the block

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

Verb

have been around

1. (idiomatic) To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive.
   • 1900, Edward Stratemeyer, chapter 17, in The Rover Boys Out West:

     "Oh, I've been around a little before," said Tom coolly.

     "Yes, you look like a lad who has seen something of the world."

   • 2008 March 3, "'Special Report' Panel on Hillary Clinton's New Campaign Advertisement," foxnews.com (US) (retrieved 1 Jan 2009):

     Barnes: John McCain has been tested. He has been tested in war, and he passed that test. When has Hillary been tested? She has been tested in her marriage. That's about it.

     Williams: You're being very mean.

     Barnes: No I'm not. I'm being honest.

     Williams: She has been around. She has met world leaders.

Antonyms

• be born yesterday
• fall off the turnip truck

Translations

Translations

• Finnish: olla kiertänyt muutakin kuin tahkoa
• French: ne pas être né de la dernière pluie (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: estar curado de espanto

See also

• be around
• been there, done that, bought the T-shirt
• more than someone has had hot dinners
• not one's first rodeo