Idiom Topics
The Ubiquitous Essentials
10- On the other hand
- At the end of the day
- In the long run
- Bear in mind
- A piece of cake
- Keep an eye on
- Out of the blue
- Rule of thumb
- So far, so good
- Behind the scenes
Everyday Casual & Workplace
10- Under the weather
- Call it a day
- Up in the air
- Wrap your head around
- Break the ice
- Get out of hand
- Go the extra mile
- Touch base
- Hit the nail on the head
- Cut corners
Problem Solving & Interaction
10- See eye to eye
- Read between the lines
- Take it with a grain of salt
- Get the hang of it
- Give the benefit of the doubt
- The elephant in the room
- Hit the ground running
- Play it by ear
- Bite the bullet
- Sit on the fence
Decisions & Perspectives
9- Jump on the bandwagon
- Cross that bridge when we come to it
- The best of both worlds
- A blessing in disguise
- Once in a blue moon
- Pull someone's leg
- Miss the boat
- Better late than never
- Get your act together
Colorful & Traditional
10- Spill the beans
- Let the cat out of the bag
- Bite off more than you can chew
- Go back to the drawing board
- Barking up the wrong tree
- Actions speak louder than words
- A penny for your thoughts
- Break a leg
- Hit the sack
- Beat around the bush
Academic & Formal Discourse
10- Bear fruit
- Pave the way
- Shed light on
- Go hand in hand
- Tip the scales
- Fly in the face of
- Bring to the table
- Turn a blind eye
- Draw a blank
- State of the art
Emotions & Reactions
10- Over the moon
- Down in the dumps
- On edge
- Blow off steam
- Keep your cool
- Drive someone up the wall
- On cloud nine
- A weight off my shoulders
- At your wits' end
- Thrilled to bits
Effort, Success, & Failure
10- Start from scratch
- Pass with flying colors
- Fall flat
- Go down the drain
- Keep your head above water
- Pay off
- Throw in the towel
- Make headway
- Uphill battle
- Back to square one
Time, Speed, & Urgency
10- Beat the clock
- At the eleventh hour
- Around the clock
- In the nick of time
- Drag your feet
- Time flies
- Make up for lost time
- Call time on
- Ahead of the curve
- On the spur of the moment
Resources, Money, & Value
10- Make ends meet
- Foot the bill
- Break the bank
- Tighten your belt
- Bang for your buck
- A drop in the ocean
- Make a killing
- On a shoestring budget
- Worth your weight in gold
- Pay top dollar
On the other hand
Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "On the other hand" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourThe Ubiquitous Essentials collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.
On the other hand
Used to introduce a contrasting point of view, fact, or argument that opposes the first one mentioned.
History & Origin
The idiom stems from the ancient logical practice of physical storytelling, where speakers would hold out one hand to represent their first point or argument. To introduce a contrasting idea, they would physically hold out their second hand, saying 'on the other hand' to symbolize weighing two balancing sides of a debate like a scale. Over centuries, this physical gesture evolved into a permanent linguistic transition for presenting counterarguments.
Examples
The new software update will definitely streamline our weekly reporting process; on the other hand, it will require our team to undergo a mandatory two-day training session.
I really want to go camping this weekend because the weather is supposed to be beautiful. On the other hand, I have a mountain of laundry and chores to finish at home.
Some economic models suggest that aggressive taxation reduces market innovation. On the other hand, empirical evidence from Scandinavian countries demonstrates that high taxes can co-exist with robust entrepreneurship.
The tourism boom has brought unprecedented revenue to the historic coastal town; on the other hand, local residents are pushing back against the resulting traffic congestion and rising rent prices.
We must act swiftly to protect our national security interests. On the other hand, we must ensure that our defensive measures do not infringe upon the fundamental civil liberties of our citizens.
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?
A. The company's profits doubled this quarter; on the other hand, they also saw a massive surge in total sales worldwide.
B. She decided to study biology in college on the other hand because she wanted to become a medical researcher after graduation.
C. Living in a large city offers endless cultural events and networking opportunities; on the other hand, the high cost of living can be incredibly stressful.
D. If you don't wear a thick winter coat outside today, on the other hand you will catch a severe cold in this freezing weather.