The Village Idiom

have been around

The idiom "have been around" means to have a lot of experience or knowledge about something, often implying that one has seen or encountered various situations or people over a long period of time.

Filed under H

In a sentence

  • The company has been around for over 100 years.
  • I've been around long enough to know how things work.
  • These traditions have been around since ancient times.

Where it comes from and how it is used

The idiomatic expression "be around" is closely related to the phrase "have been around." When someone says they have "been around," they are implying that they have been in a particular place or involved in a certain activity for a significant period of time.

This idiom can be used to convey a sense of familiarity or experience in a specific context. For example, if someone says they have "been around" in the business world, they are indicating that they have extensive knowledge and understanding of how things work in that industry.

"Been there, done that" is another idiom that is often used in conjunction with "have been around." This expression is used to convey a sense of being experienced or well-acquainted with a particular situation or activity. When someone says they have "been there, done that," they are essentially saying that they have already encountered and overcome a similar situation in the past.

An extension of this idiom is "been there, done that, got the T-shirt," which emphasizes not only having experienced something before but also having tangible proof of it. The addition of "got the T-shirt" implies that the person has a physical souvenir or memento to show for their past experiences.

The idiomatic expressions "be around," "been there, done that," "been there, done that, got the T-shirt," "been to the rodeo," and "have had it" all relate back to the concept of having been in a particular situation or activity for a significant period of time. They convey a sense of familiarity, experience, and, in some cases, exhaustion or frustration.

Know an earlier use or a better origin story?Tell us.