second

[ sek-uhnd ]

/ ˈsɛk ənd /

adjective

next after the first; being the ordinal number for two.

being the latter of two equal parts.

next after the first in place, time, or value: the second house from the corner.

next after the first in rank, grade, degree, status, or importance: the second person in the company.

alternate: I have my hair cut every second week.

inferior.

Grammar. noting or pertaining to the second person.

Music. being the lower of two parts for the same instrument or voice: second horn; second alto.

other or another: a second Solomon.

Automotive. of, relating to, or operating at the gear transmission ratio at which drive shaft speed is greater than that of low gear but not so great as that of other gears for a given engine crankshaft speed: second gear.

noun

a second part.

the second member of a series.

a person who aids or supports another; assistant; backer.

Boxing. a person who, between rounds of a prizefight, gives aid, advice, etc., to a boxer.

a person who serves as a representative or attendant of a duelist.

Automotive. second gear.

a person or thing that is next after the first in place, time, or value.

a person or thing that is next after the first in rank, grade, degree, status, or importance.

Usually seconds. an additional helping of food: He had seconds on the meat and potatoes.

(in parliamentary procedure)

a person who expresses formal support of a motion so that it may be discussed or put to a vote.
an act or instance of doing this.

(in certain British universities) a type or grade of college degree granted according to a student's performance on specific written and oral examinations.

Music.

a tone on the next degree from a given tone.
the interval between such tones.
the harmonic combination of such tones.
the lower of two parts in a piece of concerted music.
a voice or instrument performing such a part.
an alto.

Usually seconds. Commerce. goods below the first or highest quality, especially containing visible flaws. Compare first(def 17), third(def 12).

Metallurgy. a piece of somewhat defective but salable tin plate.

Baseball. second base.

verb (used with object)

to assist or support.

to further or advance, as aims.

(in parliamentary procedure) to express formal support of (a motion, proposal, etc.), as a necessary preliminary to further discussion or to voting.

to act as second to (a boxer, duelist, etc.).

adverb

in the second place, group, etc.; secondly: The catcher is batting second.

Origin of second

1250–1300; Middle English (adj., noun and adv.) < Old French (adj.) < Latin secundus following, next, second, equivalent to sec- (base of sequī to follow) + -undus adj. suffix

SYNONYMS FOR second

13 aide, helper, agent, deputy.

OTHER WORDS FROM second

sec·ond·er, noun

Words nearby second

secluded, seclusion, seclusive, secobarbital, seconal, second, second advent, second adventist, second amendment, second axiom of countability, second balkan war

Definition for seconds (2 of 3)

second ²

[ sek-uhnd ]

/ ˈsɛk ənd /

noun

the sixtieth part of a minute of time.

a moment or instant: It takes only a second to phone.

the basic unit of time in the International System of Units(SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 cycles of radiation in a transition, or energy level change, of the cesium atom. Symbol: s, S; Abbreviation: sec

Geometry, Astronomy. the sixtieth part of a minute of angular measure, often represented by the sign ″, as in 30″, which is read as 30 seconds. Compare angle¹(def 1c).

Origin of second

1350–1400; Middle English seconde < Middle French < Medieval Latin secunda ( minūta) second (minute), feminine of secundus second¹

SYNONYMS FOR second

2 jiffy, trice, wink, flash.

Definition for seconds (3 of 3)

second ³

[ si-kond ]

/ sɪˈkɒnd /

verb (used with object)

British. to transfer (an officer, official, or the like) temporarily to another post.

Origin of second

1795–1805; < French second, noun use of the adj. in the phrase en second, as in lieutenant en second second lieutenant; see second¹

Example sentences from the Web for seconds

The missile fell back to earth after just 40 seconds in the air.

Ashton Carter, the Wonk Who Would Lead the Pentagon |Shane Harris, Tim Mak |December 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Sprinkle on the flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Make These Barefoot Contessa Chicken Pot Pies |Ina Garten |November 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
“About 30 seconds and traffic started going, but no one blew their horns,” Johnson told the grand jury.

90 Seconds of Fury in Ferguson Are the Key to Making Peace in America |Michael Daly |November 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Not 90 seconds later, Brown lay shot to death in broad daylight in the middle of a Missouri street.

90 Seconds of Fury in Ferguson Are the Key to Making Peace in America |Michael Daly |November 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Seconds in, I wanted it to stop, but it just kept going and going.

I Felt Like Showering After the First-Person Sex in ‘Grand Theft Auto’ |Alec Kubas-Meyer |November 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Whatever his causes of complaint, they were of too delicate and secret a nature for seconds, bullets, and newspaper paragraphs!

Alice, or The Mysteries, Complete |Edward Bulwer-Lytton
For a few tense seconds the two bodies of men remained motionless, forming a tremendously impressive tableau.

A Chinese Command |Harry Collingwood
For some seconds Vasili Andreevich could not collect himself or understand what was happening.

Master and Man |Leo Tolstoy
It seemed to me I was a goner, and it was some seconds before I realized I was alive and unhurt.

The Spell of Belgium |Isabel Anderson
These reflections occupied his mind during the seconds in which he turned from his contemplation of the barricade.

Rayton: A Backwoods Mystery |Theodore Goodridge Roberts

British Dictionary definitions for seconds (1 of 3)

second ¹

/ (ˈsɛkənd) /

adjective (usually prenominal)

coming directly after the first in numbering or counting order, position, time, etc; being the ordinal number of two: often written 2nd
(as noun)the second in line

rated, graded, or ranked between the first and third levels

alternate every second Thursday

additional; extra a second opportunity

resembling a person or event from an earlier period of history; unoriginal a second Wagner

of lower quality; inferior belonging to the second class

denoting the lowest but one forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle

music

relating to or denoting a musical part, voice, or instrument lower in pitch than another part, voice, or instrument (the first)the second tenors
of or relating to a part, instrument, or instrumentalist regarded as subordinate to another (the first)the second flute

at second hand by hearsay

noun

British education an honours degree of the second class, usually further divided into an upper and lower designation Full term: second-class honours degree

the lowest but one forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle he changed into second on the bend

(in boxing, duelling, etc) an attendant who looks after a competitor

a speech seconding a motion or the person making it

music

the interval between one note and another lying next above or below it in the diatonic scale
one of two notes constituting such an interval in relation to the otherSee also minor (def. 4), major (def. 14), interval (def. 5)

(plural) goods of inferior quality

(plural) informal a second helping of food

(plural) the second course of a meal

verb (tr)

to give aid or backing to

(in boxing, etc) to act as second to (a competitor)

to make a speech or otherwise express formal support for (a motion already proposed)

adverb

Also: secondly in the second place

sentence connector

Also: secondly as the second point: linking what follows with the previous statement

Derived forms of second

seconder, noun

Word Origin for second

C13: via Old French from Latin secundus coming next in order, from sequī to follow

British Dictionary definitions for seconds (2 of 3)

second ²

/ (ˈsɛkənd) /

noun

1/60 of a minute of time
the basic SI unit of time: the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of radiation corresponding to the transition between two hyperfine levels of the ground state of caesium-133Symbol: s

1/60 of a minute of angle Symbol: ″

a very short period of time; moment

Word Origin for second

C14: from Old French, from Medieval Latin pars minūta secunda the second small part (a minute being the first small part of an hour); see second 1

British Dictionary definitions for seconds (3 of 3)

second ³

/ (sɪˈkɒnd) /

verb (tr) British

to transfer (an employee) temporarily to another branch, etc

military to transfer (an officer) to another post, often retiring him to a staff or nonregimental position

Word Origin for second

C19: from French en second in second rank (or position)

Medical definitions for seconds

second

[ sĕk′ənd ]

adj.

Coming next after the first in order, place, rank, time, or quality.

Being the next closest to the innermost digit, especially on the foot.

Other words from second

sec′ond n.

Scientific definitions for seconds

second

[ sĕk′ənd ]

A unit of time equal to 160 of a minute.♦ A sidereal second is 160 of a sidereal minute, and a mean solar second is 160 of a mean solar minute. See more at sidereal time solar time.

A unit of angular measurement, such as longitude or right ascension, equal to 160 of a minute of arc.

Idioms and Phrases with seconds

second

In addition to the idioms beginning with second

second banana
second best
second childhood
second class
second cousin
second fiddle
second hand
second nature
second sight
second thoughts
second to none
second wind

also see:

at second hand
come off (second best)
in a flash (second)
in the first (second) place
on second thought
play second fiddle
split second
top (second) banana

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

second

adjective

noun

verb (used with object)

adverb

Origin of second

SYNONYMS FOR second

OTHER WORDS FROM second

Words nearby second

Definition for seconds (2 of 3)

noun

Origin of second

SYNONYMS FOR second

Definition for seconds (3 of 3)

verb (used with object)

Origin of second

Example sentences from the Web for seconds

British Dictionary definitions for seconds (1 of 3)

adjective (usually prenominal)

noun

verb (tr)

adverb

sentence connector

Derived forms of second

Word Origin for second

British Dictionary definitions for seconds (2 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for second

British Dictionary definitions for seconds (3 of 3)

verb (tr) British

Word Origin for second

Medical definitions for seconds

adj.

Other words from second

Scientific definitions for seconds

Idioms and Phrases with seconds

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

second

adjective

noun

verb (used with object)

adverb

Origin of second

SYNONYMS FOR second

OTHER WORDS FROM second

Words nearby second

Definition for seconds (2 of 3)

noun

Origin of second

SYNONYMS FOR second

Definition for seconds (3 of 3)

verb (used with object)

Origin of second

Words related to seconds

Example sentences from the Web for seconds

British Dictionary definitions for seconds (1 of 3)

adjective (usually prenominal)

noun

verb (tr)

adverb

sentence connector

Derived forms of second

Word Origin for second

British Dictionary definitions for seconds (2 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for second

British Dictionary definitions for seconds (3 of 3)

verb (tr) British

Word Origin for second

Medical definitions for seconds

adj.

Other words from second

Scientific definitions for seconds

Idioms and Phrases with seconds