been around

English

Alternative forms

• have been around the block

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

have been around (third-person singular simple present has been around, present participle having been around, simple past and past participle had 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”, in foxnews.com, US, retrieved 1 January 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) Spanish: estar de vuelta de todo, cuando tú vas yo vengo de regreso (es), estar curado de espanto, saber mucha gramática parda (colloquial)

See also

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