Definition of 'time'

Word Frequency

time

(taɪm )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense times , present participle timing , past tense, past participle timed

1. uncountable noun

Time is what we measure in minutes, hours, days, and years.

...a two-week period of time.

Time passed, and still Ma did not appear.

As time went on the visits got more and more regular.

The social significance of religion has changed over time.

2. singular noun [wh/the N]

You use time to ask or talk about a specific point in the day, which can be stated in hours and minutes and is shown on clocks.

'What time is it?'—'Eight o'clock.'

He asked me the time.

What time did he leave?

I phoned my mother to ask what time she was coming home.

The time is now 19 minutes past the hour.

3. countable noun

The time when something happens is the point in the day when it happens or is supposed to happen.

Departure times are 08:15 from St Quay, and 18:15 from St Helier.

4. See also opening time

5. uncountable noun

You use time to refer to the system of expressing time and counting hours that is used in a particular part of the world.

The tidal predictions are expressed in Greenwich Mean Time. Add one hour for British Summer Time.

The incident happened just after ten o'clock local time.

6. uncountable noun [oft a NOUN]

You use time to refer to the period that you spend doing something or when something has been happening.

Adam spent a lot of time in his grandfather's office.

He wouldn't have the time or money to take care of me.

Listen to me, I haven't got much time.

It's obvious that you need more time to think.

The route was blocked for some time.

For a long time I didn't tell anyone.

A short time later they sat down to eat.

Thank you very much for your time.

Synonyms: period, while, term, season More Synonyms of time

7. singular noun

If you say that something has been happening for a time, you mean that it has been happening for a fairly long period of time.

He was also for a time the art critic of 'The Scotsman'.

He stayed for quite a time.

After a time they came to a pond.

8. countable noun [oft preposition NOUN]

You use time to refer to a period of time or a point in time, when you are describing what is happening then. For example, if something happened at a particular time, that is when it happened. If it happens at all times, it always happens.

We were in the same college, which was male-only at that time.

By this time he was thirty.

During the times when I was too ill to write, I would ask a friend to make notes for me.

It was a time of terrible uncertainty.

Homes are more affordable than at any time in the past five years.

It seemed like a good time to tell her.

There were times when he would ring his bell at all hours of the day or night.

Synonyms: occasion, point, moment, hour More Synonyms of time

9. countable noun [usually adjective NOUN]

You use time or times to talk about a particular period in history or in your life.

They were hard times and his parents had been struggling to raise their family.

We'll be alone together, quite like old times.

We are in one of the most severe recessions in modern times.

A 'Felucca' is the traditional Nile sailboat, unchanged since the time of the pharaohs.

Synonyms: age, days, era, year More Synonyms of time

10.

See behind the times

11. countable noun [adjective NOUN]

When you describe the time that you had on a particular occasion or during a particular part of your life, you are describing the sort of experience that you had then.

Sarah and I had a great time while the kids were away.

She's had a really tough time the last year and a half.

You had an easy time of it at home.

I try to remember all the good times I've had here.

12. singular noun

Your time is the amount of time that you have to live, or to do a particular thing.

The hunt for a solution is on, and time is running out.

Every administration has its time. And when your time is over, you leave.

I doubt I would change anything if I had my time again.

Synonyms: lifetime, day, life, season More Synonyms of time

13. uncountable noun [NOUN to-infinitive, NOUN that]

If you say it is time for something, time to do something, or time you did something, you mean that this thing ought to happen or be done now.

Opinion polls indicated a feeling among the public that it was time for a change. [+ for]

It was time for him to go to work. [+ for]

This was no time to make a speech.

The time has come to put an end to the conflict.

It's time you went to school.

14. countable noun

When you talk about a time when something happens, you are referring to a specific occasion when it happens.

Every time she travels on the bus, it's delayed by at least three hours.

The last time I saw her was about sixteen years ago.

House prices are rising for the first time since November.

Next time you go shopping, throw in a few extra fruit and vegetables.

Remember that time she picked up my daughter when I was ill?

15. countable noun

You use time after numbers to say how often something happens.

It was her job to make tea three times a day.

How many times has your mother told you never to talk to strangers?

The tournament was won a second time by the American team.

16. plural noun

You use times after numbers when comparing one thing to another and saying, for example, how much bigger, smaller, better, or worse it is.

Its profits are rising four times faster than the average company.

Young people were several times more likely to be unemployed than older workers.

He polled four times as many votes as his rival.

...an area five times the size of Britain.

17. conjunction

You use times in arithmetic to link numbers or amounts that are multiplied together to reach a total.

Four times six is 24.

18. countable noun [oft poss NOUN]

Someone's time in a race is the amount of time it takes them to finish the race.

He was over a second faster than his previous best time.

She recorded a time of two minutes 8.74 seconds.

[Also + of]

19. uncountable noun [oft in NOUN]

The time of a piece of music is the number of beats that the piece has in each bar.

A reel is in four-four time, and a jig is in six-eight time.

Synonyms: tempo, beat, rhythm, measure More Synonyms of time

20. verb

If you time something for a particular time, you plan or decide to do it or cause it to happen at this time.

He timed the election to coincide with new measures to boost the economy. [VERB noun to-infinitive]

We had timed our visit for March 7. [VERB noun + for]

He had timed his intervention well. [VERB noun adverb]

Operation Amazon is timed to coincide with the start of the dry season. [V-ed to-inf]

[Also VERB noun]

Synonyms: schedule, set, plan, book More Synonyms of time

21. verb

If you time an action or activity, you measure how long someone takes to do it or how long it lasts.

He timed each performance with a stop-watch. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: measure, judge, clock, count More Synonyms of time

22. See also timing

23.

See about time

24.

See ahead of time

25.

See ahead of your time

26.

See all the time

27.

See at a time

28.

See at any time

29.

See at the best of times

30.

See at one time

31.

See at the same time

32.

See at the same time

33.

See at times

34.

See before your time

35.

See before your time

36.

See not before time

37.

See call time on

38.

See to do time

39.

See for all time

40.

See for the time being

41.

See from time to time

42.

See half the time

43.

See to have no time/a lot of time for sb

44.

See it is high time

45.

See in time

46.

See in/given time

47.

See in/out of time

48.

See in a few etc minutes'/days'/weeks' etc time

49.

See in good time

50.

See (all) in good time

51.

See in (next to) no time

52.

See in your own time

53.

See in your own time

54.

See to keep time

55.

See to keep time

56.

See to make time

57.

See to make good time

58.

See to make up for lost time

59.

See to mark time

60.

See nine times out of ten

61.

See of all time

62.

See on time

63.

See only/just etc a question/matter of time

64.

See our time(s)

65.

See to pass the time

66.

See to pass the time of day

67.

See to play for time

68.

See to take time

69.

See to take your time

70.

See to tell the time

71.

See time after time

72.

See time flies

73.

See to have the time of your life

74.

See no time to lose

75.

See time will tell

76.

See to waste no time

77. time and again

78. to the end of time

79. in the fullness of time

80. there's no time like the present

81. the time is ripe

More Synonyms of time

Video: pronunciation of
time

time in British English

(taɪm )

noun

the continuous passage of existence in which events pass from a state of potentiality in the future, through the present, to a state of finality in the past

(as modifier)

time travel

▶ Related adjective: temporal

2. physics

a quantity measuring duration, usually with reference to a periodic process such as the rotation of the earth or the vibration of electromagnetic radiation emitted from certain atoms. In classical mechanics, time is absolute in the sense that the time of an event is independent of the observer. According to the theory of relativity it depends on the observer's frame of reference. Time is considered as a fourth coordinate required, along with three spatial coordinates, to specify an event

caesium clock, second2 (sense 1), space-time

a specific point on this continuum expressed in terms of hours and minutes

the time is four o'clock

a system of reckoning for expressing time

Greenwich mean time

a definite and measurable portion of this continuum

(as modifier)

time limit

an accepted period such as a day, season, etc

(in combination)

springtime

an unspecified interval; a while

I was there for a time

8. (often plural)

a period or point marked by specific attributes or events

the Victorian times

time for breakfast

a sufficient interval or period

have you got time to help me?

10.

an instance or occasion

I called you three times

11.

an occasion or period of specified quality

have a good time

a miserable time

12.

the duration of human existence

13.

the heyday of human life

in her time she was a great star

14.

a suitable period or moment

it's time I told you

15.

the expected interval in which something is done

the flying time from New York to London was seven hours

16.

a particularly important moment, esp childbirth or death

her time had come

17. (plural)

indicating a degree or amount calculated by multiplication with the number specified

ten times three is thirty

he earns four times as much as me

18. (often plural)

the fashions, thought, etc, of the present age (esp in the phrases ahead of one's time, behind the times)

19. British (in bars, pubs, etc) short for closing time

20. informal

a term in jail (esp in the phrase do time)

21.

a customary or full period of work

the rate of pay for this period

22. Also (esp US): metre

the system of combining beats or pulses in music into successive groupings by which the rhythm of the music is established

a specific system having a specific number of beats in each grouping or bar

duple time

23. music short for time value

24. prosody

a unit of duration used in the measurement of poetic metre; mora

25. against time

26. ahead of time

27. all in good time

28. all the time

29. at one time

30. at the same time

31. at times

32. beat time

33. before one's time

34. for the time being

35. from time to time

36. gain time

37. have no time for

38. in good time

39. in no time

40. in one's own time

41. in time

42. keep time

43. lose time

44. lose no time

45. make time

46. mark1 (sense 35)

47. in the nick of time

48. on time

49. pass the time of day

50. time about

51. time and again

52. time off

53. time on

54. time out of mind

55. time of one's life

56. (modifier)

operating automatically at or for a set time, for security or convenience

time lock

time switch

verb (transitive)

57.

to ascertain or calculate the duration or speed of

58.

to set a time for

59.

to adjust to keep accurate time

60.

to pick a suitable time for

61. sport

to control the execution or speed of (an action, esp a shot or stroke) so that it has its full effect at the right moment

exclamation

62.

the word called out by a publican signalling that it is closing time

Word origin

Old English tīma; related to Old English tīd time, Old Norse tīmi, Alemannic zīme; see tide1

Word Frequency

time in American English

(taɪm )

noun

1. duration; continuance

indefinite, unlimited duration in which things are considered as happening in the past, present, or future; every moment there has ever been or ever will be

the entire period of existence of the known universe; finite duration, as distinguished from infinity

the entire period of existence of the world or of humanity; earthly duration, as distinguished from eternity

c. [T-]

Father Time

a system of measuring duration

solar time, standard time

2. a period or interval

the period between two events or during which something exists, happens, or acts; measured or measurable interval

b. [often pl.]

any period in the history of man or of the universe, often specif. with reference to a characteristic social structure, set of customs, famous person living then, etc.

prehistoric times, medieval times, geologic time, Lincoln's time

a period characterized by a prevailing condition or specific experience

a time of peace, have a good time

b. [usually pl.]

the prevailing conditions of a particular period

the times were difficult

a period of duration set or thought of as set

; specif.,

a period of existence; lifetime

his time is almost over

a term of apprenticeship

a term of imprisonment

a term of military service

e. US, Obsolete

a period of indenture

a period or periods necessary, sufficient, or available for something

no time for play

the specific, usual, or allotted period during which something is done

the runner's time was 1.47 minutes; baking time, 20 minutes

the period regularly worked or to be worked by an employee

the hourly rate of pay for the regular working hours

rate of speed in marching, driving, working, etc.

quick time, double time

i. Theatre

one of the three unities

Examples of 'time' in a sentence
time

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The government is committed to balancing the books over a sensible period of time.Three times more than my car insurance and four times more than home and buildings cover!Women are three times more likely to have it.There could hardly be a better time for an election.What happened the last time you went for a facial?She has told me what a nasty and difficult man he is time and time again.These include leaving their mobile phones behind and taking temporary replacements to use during their time there.Yet you still make time for your own projects. Obviously I was in the driving seat at the time and in control of the match. This time anorexia became a way of getting some control into my life.

Quotations

But meanwhile it is flying, irretrievable time is flyingVirgilGeorgics

Time is the best medicineOvidRemedia Amoris

Every instant of time is a pinprick of eternityMarcus AureliusMeditations

Wait for that wisest of Counsellors, TimePericles

To every thing there is a season, and a time
to every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die ...
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and a time of peace Bible: Ecclesiastes

Come what may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest dayWilliam ShakespeareMacbeth

Time, the subtle thief of youthJohn MiltonSonnet 7

Remember that time is moneyBenjamin FranklinAdvice to a Young Tradesman

Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills themDion BoucicaultLondon Assurance

The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but timeW.B. Yeatsin memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Con Markiewicz

Time goes, you say? Ah, no!
Alas, Time stays, we goHenry Austin DobsonThe Paradox of Time

Time rushes by and yet time is frozen. Funny how we get so exact about time at the end of life and at its beginningSister Helen Prejean

Time and tide wait for no man

Time flies (tempus fugit)

Time is a great healer

Time will tell

More idioms containing
time

ride two horses at the same time

in the nick of time

a race against time

a stitch in time

something has stood the test of time

be living on borrowed time

big time

call time on something

have time on your hands

have a whale of a time

COBUILD Collocations
time

Trends of
time

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In other languages
time

British English: time /taɪm/ NOUN

how long something takes to happen Time is how long something takes to happen. We measure time in minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years.

I've known him for a long time.