time
1454
didn't have a job. | in summertime 10 [C;U] (sometimes in comb.) a moment or period that is intended or suitable for a particular activity or event: [+to-v] He's in a good mood, so now's the time to ask him about that loan. | Come on children, it's time for bed/it's bedtime. | [+(that)] It's time you were in bed. | question time in the House of Commons | If you are thinking of buying a house, there's no time like the present. (=now is the best time to do it) 11 [U] the point at which something is expected or arranged to happen: to die before one's time | The plane arrived (dead) on time. (=at exactly the right time) | The work was completed ahead of time. (=earlier than expected) | 'The train is just coming.' 'And about time too/not before time!' (=it is later than expected) 12 [U] the moment at which something starts or especially stops: At 10.30 the landlord calls 'Time!' and we all have to finish our drinks and leave. | Time's up! Put your pencils down and pass forward your test papers. -> see also FULL TIME, OPENING TIME 13 [C] the period in which an action is completed, especially a performance in a race: His time for the mile was just under four minutes. 14 [U] tech the rate of speed of a piece of music: You beat time and I'll play. -> see also keep time (TIME) 15 [U] a period of imprisonment in/ml or of employment with the military: He's done time/served time for burglary. | He served his time in the army and then went to college. 16 about time in/ml (used for suggesting that something should be done now or should have been done earlier): It's about time you had your hair cut! 17 against time in an effort to do something within a certain limited period: working against time to get the job finished 18 ahead of one's time -> see TIME 19 all the time continuously: Why must you keep complaining all the time? 20 at a time in a group of the stated number: Please come in one at a time (=singlely), not all together. 21 a time to be born, and a time to die phrase from the Bible a phrase from the Book of Ecclesiastes, part of a longer passage which begins: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven, and which is sometimes used by people saying that there is a proper time for any action 22 at one time formerly: At one time they used to mine coal in these valleys. 23 at the time at the moment when something happened: It seemed like a good idea at the time. 24 at times sometimes: At times I wonder if it's all worthwhile. 25 before one's time a) before one was born or came to a place: I don't remember her — she must have been before my time. b) also ahead of one's time — too modern or original for the period one lives in: As a painter, he was before his time. 26 behind the times old-fashioned 27 for a time for a short period: For a time the police thought she might be guilty, but before long they eliminated her from their list of suspects. 28 for the time being for a limited period at present: Can you share a room for the time being? We'll let you have one on your own next week. 29 from time out of mind lit or pomp for a very long time 30 from time to time sometimes; not very often: They come to see us from time to time. 31 have a lot of time for in/ml to like and respect (especially a person) 32 have no time for in/ml to dislike, be unwilling to waste one's time with: I have no time for people who mistreat animals. 33 in no time (at all) very quickly: We'll have that leak fixed in no time. 34 in time a) after a certain amount of time has passed: In time you'll forget him. b) early or soon enough: Will you be home in time to see the children before they go to bed? c) at the correct rate or speed: to sing/march/play in time 35 keep time a) (of a clock, watch etc) to work correctly b) to follow the correct TIME 36 keep up/move/march with the times to change one's own ideas, methods etc, at the same rate as changing fashions, scientific developments, or social customs 37 many a time lit or old use often; frequently 38 not give someone the time of day to refuse to speak to or spend time with someone, especially because one considers them unimportant 39 take one's time (over) a) to use as much time as is necessary (to do); not hurry: There's no hurry; take your time! b) to take more time than is reasonable (to do): The workmen seem to be taking their time over repairing this road! 40 take time to smell the roses not to spend one's whole life rushing and working, but to spend some time enjoying oneself 41 time after time also time and (time) again — repeatedly: I've told you time after time not to park there! 42 time and a half payment of a worker at one and a half times the usual rate:
We get time and a half for working on Sundays. 43 time heals all wounds saying grief and other kinds of emotional pain become less difficult to bear over a period of time 44 time is money saying one should not waste time when one could be working and earning money 45 time is of the essence it is important that we hurry and do not delay → see also TIMES, BIG TIME, DOUBLE TIME, FULL-TIME, HALF TIME, HIGH TIME, LEAD TIME, LOCAL TIME, PART-TIME, SHORT TIME, beat time (BEAT), bide one's time (BIDE), in good time (GOOD), in one's own good time (GOOD), kill time (KILL), mark time (MARK), move with the times (MOVE), in the nick of time (NICK), for old times' sake (OLD), once upon a time (ONCE), play for time (PLAY), at the same time (SAME), sign of the times (SIGN)
USAGE 1 If you use time sensibly or on things that are neither good nor bad, you spend time: You should spend an hour every day practising the piano. | I spend a lot of (my) time wondering about Tom. If you use time badly you waste time: I wasted a whole hour trying to find a garage. If you are trying to keep to a certain timetable you may also lose time: I drove quickly, trying to make up for lost time. | We lost quite a lot of time on the journey because of a breakdown. If you have too much time which you try to fill you may pass the time: Listening to the radio helps her to pass the time. Or even (if you are waiting for something) kill time: I'm just standing here killing time until the shop opens. 2 At 11.45, it is a quarter off/to 12 in American English but a quarter to 12 in British English. At 12.15 it is a quarter after/past 12 in American English but a quarter past 12 in British English. → see also CLOCK (USAGE), O'CLOCK (USAGE), TO (USAGE)
time² v [T] 1 [usually pass.] to arrange or set the time at which (something) happens or is to happen: You timed your arrival well; we were just going to have dinner. | [+obj+to-v] The train is timed to arrive at six o'clock. 2 [(at)] to measure the speed of or the time taken by: We timed our journey; it took us two hours. | Jenkins was timed at 3 minutes 53 seconds for the 1500 metres. 3 to hit (a ball) or make (a shot) at just the right moment: a perfectly timed shot → see also ILL-TIMED, MIS-TIME, WELL-TIMED
Time also ,Time maga'zine //l', '.../ trademark a US weekly news magazine which is sold in the US and is also available in many countries around the world
,time-and-'motion adj [A] concerning the measurement and study of the effectiveness of work, especially in industry: a time-and-motion study
'time bomb n 1 a bomb that can be set to explode at a particular time 2 a situation, especially in politics, that is likely to become very dangerous or difficult to handle: The high level of youth unemployment is a time bomb that could one day have disastrous social consequences.
'time ,capsule n a container that is filled with objects representative of its time and then buried, so that it can be dug up and examined in a future age
'time card n AmE for TIME SHEET
'time clock n a special clock which records the hour and minute one arrives at and leaves work: He has to punch the time clock.
'time-con‚suming adj using or taking a long time or too much time: Keeping the house clean can be a very time-consuming job.
'time ex‚posure n [C;U] (a picture taken by) EXPOSURE of film to the light for more than a second when taking a photograph
'time-honoured adj fml or pomp respected because of age or long use: a time-honoured custom
,time imme'morial n [from/since time immemorial] lit or pomp since long ago in the past: From time immemorial the tribe have buried their dead on this island.
time-keep-er /'taɪmˌkiːpər/ n 1 a person who records the times of competitors in a race, workers in a factory etc 2 a clock or watch considered for its ability to tell the right time: This old watch of mine's a good timekeeper. —keeˊping n [U]
'time lag also lag n a period of time between the first and second of two closely connected events