Meaning
Used to introduce a contrasting or balancing point of view, fact, or consideration - the opposite side of an argument. It forms the second half of the weighing formula 'on the one hand ... on the other hand', though in modern prose it frequently stands alone. Neutral, mildly formal; extremely frequent in essays, journalism, and balanced argument. Regional use: General English.
Origin
The paired construction is documented from the first half of the 1600s: Etymonline dates 'on the one hand ... on the other hand' to the 1630s, and the American Heritage Idioms dictionary dates it to the first half of the seventeenth century. The popular explanation - a mental picture of holding one alternative in each hand, as if weighing them - is a reasonable inference from the imagery, since each consideration is being 'in hand', but it is inference rather than documented history; no early source spells out a weighing metaphor, and dictionaries simply treat the phrase as the contrastive use of 'hand' for a side or consideration. The phrase has stayed continuously current and is today one of the most common discourse markers in English argumentative writing.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- on the flip side
- on the one hand
- on the one hand ... on the other hand
- on the other side of the coin
Usage Examples
- The apartment is tiny; on the other hand, the rent is unbeatable.
- He hated the commuting, but on the other hand the job taught him skills he still relies on.
- Renting costs less month to month - on the one hand you build no equity, but on the other you stay flexible.