time
[ tahym ]
/ taɪm /
noun
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.
duration regarded as belonging to the present life as distinct from the life to come or from eternity; finite duration.
(sometimes initial capital letter)
a system or method of measuring or reckoning the passage of time: mean time; apparent time; Greenwich Time.
a limited period or interval, as between two successive events: a long time.
a particular period considered as distinct from other periods: Youth is the best time of life.
Often times.
- 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.
- the period or era now or previously present: a sign of the times; How times have changed!
- a period considered with reference to its events or prevailing conditions, tendencies, ideas, etc.: hard times; a time of war.
a prescribed or allotted period, as of one's life, for payment of a debt, etc.
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.
a period with reference to personal experience of a specified kind: to have a good time; a hot time in the old town tonight.
a period of work of an employee, or the pay for it; working hours or days or an hourly or daily pay rate.
Informal.
a term of enforced duty or imprisonment: to serve time in the army; do time in prison.
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.
leisure time; sufficient or spare time: to have time for a vacation; I have no time to stop now.
a particular or definite point in time, as indicated by a clock: What time is it?
a particular part of a year, day, etc.; season or period: It's time for lunch.
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.
the particular point in time when an event is scheduled to take place: train time; curtain time.
an indefinite, frequently prolonged period or duration in the future: Time will tell if what we have done here today was right.
the right occasion or opportunity: to watch one's time.
each occasion of a recurring action or event: to do a thing five times; It's the pitcher's time at bat.
times,
used as a multiplicative word in phrasal combinations expressing how many instances of a quantity or factor are taken together: Two goes into six three times; five times faster.
Prosody.
a unit or a group of units in the measurement of meter.
Music.
- tempo; relative rapidity of movement.
- the metrical duration of a note or rest.
- proper or characteristic tempo.
- the general movement of a particular kind of musical composition with reference to its rhythm, metrical structure, and tempo.
- the movement of a dance or the like to music so arranged: waltz time.
Military.
rate of marching, calculated on the number of paces taken per minute: double time; quick time.
Manège.
each completed action or movement of the horse.
adjective
of, relating to, or showing the passage of time.
(of an explosive device) containing a clock so that it will detonate at the desired moment: a time bomb.
Commerce.
payable at a stated period of time after presentment: time drafts or notes.
of or relating to purchases on the installment plan, or with payment postponed.
verb (used with object), timed, tim·ing.
to measure or record the speed, duration, or rate of: to time a race.
to fix the duration of: The proctor timed the test at 15 minutes.
to fix the interval between (actions, events, etc.): They timed their strokes at six per minute.
to regulate (a train, clock, etc.) as to time.
to appoint or choose the moment or occasion for; schedule: He timed the attack perfectly.
verb (used without object), timed, tim·ing.
to keep time; sound or move in unison.
Idioms for time
against time,
in an effort to finish something within a limited period: We worked against time to get out the newspaper.
ahead of time,
before the time due; early: The building was completed ahead of time.
- once; in a former time: At one time they owned a restaurant.
- at the same time; at once: They all tried to talk at one time.
- at the right time; on time; punctually.
- in advance of the right time; early: We arrived at the appointed spot in good time.
- early enough: to come in time for dinner.
- in the future; eventually: In time he'll see what is right.
- in the correct rhythm or tempo: There would always be at least one child who couldn't play in time with the music.
- to record time, as a watch or clock does.
- to mark or observe the tempo.
- to perform rhythmic movements in unison.
- to move quickly, especially in an attempt to recover lost time.
- to travel at a particular speed.
- to suspend progress temporarily, as to await developments; fail to advance.
- Military. to move the feet alternately as in marching, but without advancing.
- at the specified time; punctually.
- to be paid for within a designated period of time, as in installments: Many people are never out of debt because they buy everything on time.
at one time,
at the same time,
nevertheless; yet: I'd like to try it, but at the same time I'm a little afraid.
at times,
at intervals; occasionally: At times the city becomes intolerable.
beat someone's time, Slang.
to compete for or win a person being dated or courted by another; prevail over a rival: He accused me, his own brother, of trying to beat his time.
behind the times,
old-fashioned; dated: These attitudes are behind the times.
for the time being,
temporarily; for the present: Let's forget about it for the time being.
from time to time,
on occasion; occasionally; at intervals: She comes to see us from time to time.
gain time,
to postpone in order to make preparations or gain an advantage; delay the outcome of: He hoped to gain time by putting off signing the papers for a few days more.
in good time,
in no time,
in a very brief time; almost at once: Working together, they cleaned the entire house in no time.
in time,
keep time,
kill time,
to occupy oneself with some activity to make time pass quickly: While I was waiting, I killed time counting the cars on the freight trains.
make time,
make time with, Slang.
to pursue or take as a sexual partner.
many a time,
again and again; frequently: Many a time they didn't have enough to eat and went to bed hungry.
mark time,
on one's own time,
during one's free time; without payment: He worked out more efficient production methods on his own time.
on time,
out of time,
not in the proper rhythm: His singing was out of time with the music.
pass the time of day,
to converse briefly with or greet someone: The women would stop in the market to pass the time of day.
take one's time,
to be slow or leisurely; dawdle: Speed was important here, but he just took his time.
time after time,
again and again; repeatedly; often: I've told him time after time not to slam the door.
time and time again,
repeatedly; often: Time and time again I warned her to stop smoking.
Also time and again.
time of life,
(one's) age: At your time of life you must be careful not to overdo things.
time of one's life, Informal.
an extremely enjoyable experience: They had the time of their lives on their trip to Europe.
Origin of time
before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English
tīma; cognate with Old Norse
tīmi; (verb) Middle English
timen to arrange a time, derivative of the noun; akin to
tide1
OTHER WORDS FROM time
re·time, verb (used with object), re·timed, re·tim·ing. un·timed, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH time
thyme timeWords nearby time
Words related to behind the times
British Dictionary definitions for behind the times
time
/ (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
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, second 2 (def. 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
(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?
an instance or occasion
I called you three times
an occasion or period of specified quality
have a good time; a miserable time
the duration of human existence
the heyday of human life
in her time she was a great star
a suitable period or moment
it's time I told you
the expected interval in which something is done
the flying time from New York to London was seven hours
a particularly important moment, esp childbirth or death
her time had come
(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
(often plural)
the fashions, thought, etc, of the present age (esp in the phrases ahead of one's time, behind the times)
British (in bars, pubs, etc) short for closing time
informal
a term in jail (esp in the phrase do time)
- a customary or full period of work
- the rate of pay for this period
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 barduple time
music short for time value
prosody
a unit of duration used in the measurement of poetic metre; mora
against time
in an effort to complete something in a limited period
ahead of time
before the deadline
all in good time
in due course
all the time
continuously
at one time
- once; formerly
- simultaneously
at the same time
- simultaneously
- nevertheless; however
at times
sometimes
beat time
(of a conductor, etc) to indicate the tempo or pulse of a piece of music by waving a baton or a hand, tapping out the beats, etc
before one's time
prematurely
for the time being
for the moment; temporarily
from time to time
at intervals; occasionally
gain time See gain 1 (def. 9)
have no time for
to have no patience with; not tolerate
in good time
- early
- quickly
in no time
very quickly; almost instantaneously
in one's own time
- outside paid working hours
- at one's own rate
in time
- early or at the appointed time
- eventually
- music at a correct metrical or rhythmic pulse
keep time
to observe correctly the accent or rhythmic pulse of a piece of music in relation to tempo
lose time
(of a timepiece) to operate too slowly
lose no time
to do something without delay
make time
- to find an opportunity
- (often foll by with) US informal to succeed in seducing
See mark 1 (def. 35)
in the nick of time
at the last possible moment; at the critical moment
on time
- at the expected or scheduled time
- US payable in instalments
pass the time of day
to exchange casual greetings (with an acquaintance)
time about Scot
alternately; turn and turn about
time and again
frequently
time off
a period when one is absent from work for a holiday, through sickness, etc
time on Australian
an additional period played at the end of a match, to compensate for time lost through injury or (in certain circumstances) to allow the teams to achieve a conclusive result
Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): extra time
time out of mind
from time immemorial
time of one's life
a memorably enjoyable time
(modifier)
operating automatically at or for a set time, for security or convenience
time lock; time switch
verb (tr)
to ascertain or calculate the duration or speed of
to set a time for
to adjust to keep accurate time
to pick a suitable time for
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
interjection
the word called out by a publican signalling that it is closing time
Word Origin for time
Old English
tīma; related to Old English
tīd time, Old Norse
tīmi, Alemannic
zīme; see
tide
1
Medical definitions for behind the times
time
[ tīm ]
n.
A duration or relation of events expressed in terms of past, present, and future, and measured in units such as minutes, hours, days, months, or years.
A certain period during which something is done.
Scientific definitions for behind the times
time
[ tīm ]
A continuous, measurable quantity in which events occur in a sequence proceeding from the past through the present to the future. See Note at space-time.
- An interval separating two points of this quantity; a duration.
- A system or reference frame in which such intervals are measured or such quantities are calculated.
Idioms and Phrases with behind the times (1 of 2)
behind the times
Not keeping up with current fashion, methods, or ideas, as in Your accounting methods are behind the times. Charles Dickens used this idiom in Dombey and Son (1848): “I'm old-fashioned, and behind the Time.” [Mid-1800s]
Idioms and Phrases with behind the times (2 of 2)
time
In addition to the idioms beginning with time
- time after time
- time and a half
- time and tide wait for no man
- time bomb
- time flies
- time hangs heavy
- time immemorial
- time is money
- time is ripe
- time is up
- time of day
- time off
- time of one's life
- time on one's hands
- time out
- time out of mind
- time warp
- time was
- time will tell
also see:
- about time
- against the clock (time)
- ahead of one's time
- ahead of time
- all the time
- at all times
- at one time
- at one time or another
- at the same time
- at this point (in time)
- at times
- beat time
- behind in (time)
- behind the times
- bide one's time
- big time
- buy time
- call one's (time one's) own
- chow down (time)
- crunch time
- do time
- every time one turns around
- for the moment (time being)
- from time to time
- good-time Charlie
- hard time
- have a good time
- high time
- in between times
- in due course (of time)
- in good time
- in no time
- in the fullness of time
- in the nick of time
- in time
- keep time
- keep up (with the times)
- kill time
- less than (no time)
- long time no see
- lose time
- make good time
- make time
- make up for lost time
- many is the (time)
- mark time
- not give someone the time of day
- no time for
- no time like the present
- of one's life, time
- on borrowed time
- once upon a time
- one by one (at a time)
- on one's own time
- on time
- pass the time
- play for time
- point in time
- pressed for time
- serve time
- show someone a good time
- small time
- stitch in time
- take one's time
- take up space (time)
- tell time
- whale of a time