Definition of 'time'
Word forms: times
1. uncountable noun
2. singular noun
3. countable noun
4. uncountable noun
5. uncountable noun [also a N]
You use time to refer to the period that you spend doing something or when something has been
happening.
6. singular noun
7. countable 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.
8. countable noun
You use time or times to talk about a particular period in history or in your life.
9.
See behind the times
10. countable noun
11. singular noun
Your time is the amount of time that you have to live, or to do a particular thing.
12. uncountable noun
13. countable noun
14. countable noun
15. plural noun
16. conjunction
17. countable noun
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word forms: times, timing, timed
1. transitive verb
If you time something for a particular hour, day, or period, you plan or decide to do it or cause it to happen
at this time.
2. transitive verb
If you time an action or activity, you measure how long someone takes to do it or how long it
lasts.
3. See also timing
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word forms: times
1.
See about time
2.
See ahead of time
3.
4.
See all the time
5.
See at a time
6.
See at any time
7.
See at one time
8.
See at the same time
9.
See at the same time
10.
See at times
11.
See for all time
12.
13.
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word forms: times
1.
See half the time
2.
See in time
3.
See in/given time
4.
See in/out of time
6.
See in good time
7.
8.
See to keep time
9.
See to keep time
10.
See to make time
11.
12.
13.
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word forms: timesPlease look at meaning [sense 13] to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
See of all time
2.
See on time
4.
See to pass the time
5.
See to take time
6.
7.
See to tell the time
8.
See time after time
9.
See time flies
10.
See no time to lose
11.
See time will tell
12.
See to waste no time
13. time and again
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
time
Word Frequency
time in American English
noun
1. duration; continuance
a.
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
b.
a.
b.
c.
a system of measuring duration
solar time, standard time
2. a period or interval
a.
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
c.
a.
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
d.
a period of duration set or thought of as set
; specif.,
b.
a term of apprenticeship
c.
a term of imprisonment
d.
a term of military service
e.
a period or periods necessary, sufficient, or available for something
no time for play
f.
the specific, usual, or allotted period during which something is done
the runner's time was 1.47 minutes; baking time, 20 minutes
g.
a.
the period regularly worked or to be worked by an employee
b.
the hourly rate of pay for the regular working hours
j. Music
a.
the grouping of rhythmic beats into measures of equal length
b.
the characteristic rhythm of a piece of music in terms of this grouping, indicated
by the time signature
c.
the rate of speed at which a composition or passage is played; tempo
d. Loosely
the rhythm and tempo characteristic of a kind of composition
waltz time, march time
e.
the duration of a note or rest
3. a point in duration; moment; instant; occasion
a.
b.
the point at which something has happened, is happening, or will happen; occasion
game time is two o'clock
c.
the usual, natural, traditional, or appointed moment for something to happen, begin,
or end [time to get up]
; specif.,a.
the moment of death
his time is close at hand
c. US
one's turn at something
a time at bat
e.
any one of a series of moments at which the same or nearly the same thing recurs; repeated occasion
told for the fifth time, time and time again
interjection
4. Sport
used to signify that a period of play or activity has ended or that play is temporarily suspended
verb transitiveWord forms: timed or ˈtiming
5.
to arrange or set the time of so as to be acceptable, suitable, opportune, etc.
to time an invasion
6.
to adjust, set, play, etc. so as to coincide in time with something else
to time one's watch with another's
7.
to regulate (a mechanism) for a given speed or length of operation
8.
to set the duration of (a syllable or musical note) as a unit of rhythm
verb intransitive
10. Rare
to move in time; keep time
adjective
11.
having to do with time
14. US
designating or of any of a series of payments made or to be made over a period of
time
a time payment
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
time in American English
(taim) (verb timed, timing)
noun
1.
the system of those sequential relations that any event has to any other, as past, present, or future; indefinite
and continuous duration regarded as that in which events succeed one another
2.
duration regarded as belonging to the present life as distinct from the life to come
or from eternity; finite duration
3. (sometimes cap)
a system or method of measuring or reckoning the passage of time
mean time
apparent time
Greenwich Time
4.
a limited period or interval, as between two successive events
a long time
5.
a particular period considered as distinct from other periods
Youth is the best time of life
6. (often times)
a.
a period in the history of the world, or contemporary with the life or activities of a notable person
prehistoric times
in Lincoln's time
c.
a period considered with reference to its events or prevailing conditions, tendencies,
ideas, etc.
hard times
a time of war
7.
a prescribed or allotted period, as of one's life, for payment of a debt, etc.
8.
the end of a prescribed or allotted period, as of one's life or a pregnancy
His time had come, but there was no one left to mourn over him
When her time came, her husband accompanied her to the delivery room
9.
a period with reference to personal experience of a specified kind
to have a good time
a hot time in the old town tonight
10.
a period of work of an employee, or the pay for it; working hours or days or an hourly
or daily pay rate
12.
the period necessary for or occupied by something
The time of the baseball game was two hours and two minutes
The bus takes too much time, so I'll take a plane
14.
a particular or definite point in time, as indicated by a clock
What time is it?
15.
a particular part of a year, day, etc.; season or period
It's time for lunch
16.
an appointed, fit, due, or proper instant or period
a time for sowing
the time when the sun crosses the meridian
There is a time for everything
18.
an indefinite, frequently prolonged period or duration in the future
Time will tell if what we have done here today was right
20.
each occasion of a recurring action or event
to do a thing five times
It's the pitcher's time at bat
21. See times
23. Prosody
a unit or a group of units in the measurement of meter
24. Music
a.
tempo; relative rapidity of movement
b.
the metrical duration of a note or rest
c.
proper or characteristic tempo
d.
the general movement of a particular kind of musical composition with reference to
its rhythm, metrical structure, and tempo
e.
the movement of a dance or the like to music so arranged
waltz time
25. Military
rate of marching, calculated on the number of paces taken per minute
double time
quick time
26. Dressage
each completed action or movement of the horse
27. See against time
28. See ahead of time
29. See at one time
30. See at the same time
31. See at times
32. See beat someone's time
33. See behind the times
34. See for the time being
35. See from time to time
36. See gain time
37. See in good time
38. See in no time
39. See in time
40. See keep time
41. See kill time
42. See make time
43. See make time with
44. See many a time
45. See mark time
46. See on one's own time
47. See on time
48. See out of time
49. See pass the time of day
50. See take one's time
51. See time after time
52. See time and time again
53. See time of life
54. See time of one's life
adjective
55.
of, pertaining to, or showing the passage of time
56. (of an explosive device)
containing a clock so that it will detonate at the desired moment
a time bomb
57. Commerce
payable at a stated period of time after presentment
time drafts or notes
58.
of or pertaining to purchases on the installment plan, or with payment postponed
transitive verb
59.
to measure or record the speed, duration, or rate of
to time a race
60.
to fix the duration of
The proctor timed the test at 15 minutes
61.
to fix the interval between (actions, events, etc.)
They timed their strokes at six per minute
62.
to regulate (a train, clock, etc.) as to time
63.
to appoint or choose the moment or occasion for; schedule
He timed the attack perfectly
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[bef. 900; (n.) ME; OE tīma; c. ON tīmi; (v.) ME timen to arrange a time, deriv. of the n.; akin to tide1]Word Frequency
time in British English
noun
1.
a.
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
b.
(as modifier)
time travel
▶ Related adjective: temporal2. 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
See caesium clock, second2 (sense 1), space-time 3.
a specific point on this continuum expressed in terms of hours and minutes
the time is four o'clock
6.
a.
an accepted period such as a day, season, etc
b.
(in combination)
springtime
8. (often plural)
a period or point marked by specific attributes or events
the Victorian times
time for breakfast
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
15.
the expected interval in which something is done
the flying time from New York to London was seven hours
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)
22. Also (esp US): metre
a.
the system of combining beats or pulses in music into successive groupings by which the rhythm of the music is established
b.
a specific system having a specific number of beats in each grouping or bar
duple time
25. See against time
26. See ahead of time
27. See all in good time
28. See all the time
29. See at one time
30. See at the same time
31. See at times
32. See beat time
33. See before one's time
34. See for the time being
35. See from time to time
36. See gain time
37. See have no time for
38. See in good time
39. See in no time
40. See in one's own time
41. See in time
42. See keep time
43. See lose time
44. See lose no time
45. See make time
46. See mark1 (sense 35)
47. See in the nick of time
48. See on time
49. See pass the time of day
50. See time about
51. See time and again
52. See time off
53. See time on
54. See time out of mind
55. See 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
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
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English tīma; related to Old English tīd time, Old Norse tīmi, Alemannic zīme; see tide1Examples of 'time' in a sentence
time
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Quotations
But meanwhile it is flying, irretrievable time is flyingGeorgics
Time is the best medicineRemedia Amoris
Every instant of time is a pinprick of eternityMeditations
Wait for that wisest of Counsellors, Time
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
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 dayMacbeth
Time and the hour runs through the roughest dayMacbeth
Remember that time is moneyAdvice to a Young Tradesman
Time rushes by and yet time is frozen. Funny how we get so exact about time at the end of life and at its beginning
Time and tide wait for no man
Time flies (tempus fugit)
Time is a great healer
Time will tell
More idioms containing
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.
- American English: time /ˈtaɪm/
- Arabic: وَقْت
- Brazilian Portuguese: tempo período
- Chinese: 时间
- Croatian: vrijeme
- Czech: čas
- Danish: tid
- Dutch: tijd
- European Spanish: tiempo duración
- Finnish: aika abstrakti käsite
- French: temps durée
- German: Zeit
- Greek: χρόνος
- Italian: tempo
- Japanese: 時間
- Korean: 시간
- Norwegian: tid
- Polish: czas okres trwania
- European Portuguese: tempo período
- Romanian: durată
- Russian: время
- Spanish: tiempo magnitud física
- Swedish: tid
- Thai: เวลา
- Turkish: zaman
- Ukrainian: час
- Vietnamese: thời gian
British English: time
/taɪm/ NOUN
current The time is a moment in the day that you describe in hours and minutes.
- American English: time /ˈtaɪm/
- Arabic: وَقْت
- Brazilian Portuguese: hora
- Chinese: 时间
- Croatian: vrijeme
- Czech: doba
- Danish: klokken
- Dutch: tijd
- European Spanish: hora
- Finnish: aika
- French: heure
- German: Uhrzeit
- Greek: ώρα
- Italian: ora
- Japanese: 時刻
- Korean: 시간
- Norwegian: tid
- Polish: godzina
- European Portuguese: tempo
- Romanian: oradespre ceas
- Russian: время
- Spanish: hora
- Swedish: klockan
- Thai: เวลา
- Turkish: saat
- Ukrainian: час
- Vietnamese: giờ
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time
Source
Definition of time from the Collins English Dictionary
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