History: The first mechanical clocks were in the towers of buildings and had only one hand which showed the hour in imitation of the shadow on a sundial (in the northern hemisphere which explains why the hands go clockwise).
But when it became necessary to show smaller units of time than an hour, another hand was added to show more minute /mi-NOOT/ divisions. The word attached itself to both the “minute hand” and the units it showed.
But eventually it became necessary to subdivide minutes. The first hand added was for minutes, so the second hand added was to display, of course, seconds.
(If you want citations and footnotes, go look them up yourselves. I have comics to read.)
Ha! I passed by a store in Brooklyn a few weeks back that called itself a “second hand store”, and my thought at the time was that it must be something like what is depicted in this ‘toon. (The security gate was down over the store at the time, so I couldn’t verify.)
I remember being very confused as a child when a teacher asked someone if their watch had “a second hand”. To me all clocks and watches had two hands, i.e., the first hand showed the hour, and the second hand showed the minutes. A clock or watch with only one (the first) hand wasn’t near as useful as one having both a first and second hand! It was only later I learned that this referred to another hand showing the seconds! In other words, the seconds were shown by a third hand (the second hand was actually the third hand). Of course now there are watches that display all sorts of things, so it could be argued that these have fourth, fifth, and perhaps even more hands.
ronaldspence about 2 years ago
Wow, Ben really got wound up! Take a second and explain it to her, she might need to take a minute…
Ratkin Premium Member about 2 years ago
Now explain to her why the largest unit has the smallest hand and vice versa.
Superfrog about 2 years ago
You’ll have to give her the news first hand.
sergioandrade Premium Member about 2 years ago
They don’t sell raspberry berets?
Jesy Bertz Premium Member about 2 years ago
And NO digital timepieces, either!
pschearer Premium Member about 2 years ago
History: The first mechanical clocks were in the towers of buildings and had only one hand which showed the hour in imitation of the shadow on a sundial (in the northern hemisphere which explains why the hands go clockwise).
But when it became necessary to show smaller units of time than an hour, another hand was added to show more minute /mi-NOOT/ divisions. The word attached itself to both the “minute hand” and the units it showed.
But eventually it became necessary to subdivide minutes. The first hand added was for minutes, so the second hand added was to display, of course, seconds.
(If you want citations and footnotes, go look them up yourselves. I have comics to read.)
Bilan about 2 years ago
The store is for clocks that need a second second hand.
Jayalexander about 2 years ago
Second hand is around the corner from The First Mates Ambidextrous School of Palmistry.
Buoy about 2 years ago
Times up! Actually he’s just trying to wind her up.
backyardcowboy about 2 years ago
Gimme a second and let me think!
iggyman about 2 years ago
Took me a while, Very good!
iggyman about 2 years ago
If they had bugs climbing all over the clocks, they could call the bugs “Time Flys”!
Doug K about 2 years ago
Does Stan also have a separate Minute Hand and Hour Hand stores?
gammaguy about 2 years ago
The Second-Hand Store has since been shut down by DeSantis, because he believes that it’s mainly for “lefties”.
Sir Ruddy Blighter, Jr. about 2 years ago
“Do you know what a balm is?” —Jackie Chiles, Seinfeld
bigger Nate about 2 years ago
He should make a video and explain it on tick-tock
uniquename about 2 years ago
I read the caption before I processed the picture and my initial thought was to wonder whether it was the left or right hand. Gruesome!
William Bednar Premium Member about 2 years ago
I already have two hands. What good would a “second hand” do me?
joe piglet Premium Member about 2 years ago
Well he didn’t call her a “Ding Ding Dong”
Zebrastripes about 2 years ago
Second hand Rose…
pathamil about 2 years ago
I recognise that clock! He was on the Captain Kangaroo show…
tee929 about 2 years ago
She must be a Tic-Toc user!
jr1234 about 2 years ago
Funny :D
prrdh about 2 years ago
Arrrr!
paranormal about 2 years ago
Apparently not…
the lost wizard about 2 years ago
Let’s tock about it. :)
fishbulb239 about 2 years ago
Ha! I passed by a store in Brooklyn a few weeks back that called itself a “second hand store”, and my thought at the time was that it must be something like what is depicted in this ‘toon. (The security gate was down over the store at the time, so I couldn’t verify.)
stamps about 2 years ago
I hope she’s not looking for sloppy seconds.
The Brooklyn Accent Premium Member about 2 years ago
Bugrit, millennium hand and shrimp!
zeexenon about 2 years ago
As for this geezer, a second hand on a grandfather clock was either hilarious or irritating. But I became an engineer anyway.
Lablubber about 2 years ago
How insulting. I challenge you. My second shall be calling on you.
WF11 about 2 years ago
I remember being very confused as a child when a teacher asked someone if their watch had “a second hand”. To me all clocks and watches had two hands, i.e., the first hand showed the hour, and the second hand showed the minutes. A clock or watch with only one (the first) hand wasn’t near as useful as one having both a first and second hand! It was only later I learned that this referred to another hand showing the seconds! In other words, the seconds were shown by a third hand (the second hand was actually the third hand). Of course now there are watches that display all sorts of things, so it could be argued that these have fourth, fifth, and perhaps even more hands.
Stephen Gilberg about 2 years ago
A related pun I drew long ago: https://www.deviantart.com/deckardcanine/art/Secondhand-Lion-77242687
Realimaginary1 Premium Member about 2 years ago
Selling second hands is not the same ‘ting as selling second-hand items, unless you’re talking second-hand second hands!
Hoosier Poet about 2 years ago
Technically, it’s a “seconds hand”.
gopher gofer about 2 years ago
his second hand shop is second to none…
briggs.roy078 about 2 years ago
Oh boy . . . .