time
part of speech
noun, verb (time, times, timed, timing)
meaning for a pupil
1) Time is what we measure with clocks in seconds, minutes, hours, days and years. tree →
2) The time is the hour and minutes shown on a clock: What time is it? tree →
3) A time is one occasion when something happens: the first time. tree →
4) «Times» means multiplied by: 3 times 4 is 12. tree →
5) A time is a period in history or in life: in the time of the dinosaurs. tree →
6) To time something is to measure how long it takes. tree →
7) (casual) «Time out» is a short break or a punishment of sitting quietly; «about time!» means at last, you are late. tree →
8) (casual) «Have a good time» means enjoy yourself; «hard time» means trouble: «don't give me a hard time». tree →
9) (rough, slang) «Doing time» means being in prison. tree →
10) (formal) «Duration», «period», «interval» and «elapsed time» are stiff words: «Determine the duration of the journey.» tree →
11) In time can also mean early enough, before it is too late. tree →
sense in the lessons
Maths: duration and clock time; telling the time, elapsed time, timetables; «3 times» means repeated, «3 times as many» means multiply; the times tables. Science: timing an experiment with a stopwatch. Everyday: on time, in time, spare time, bedtime, time out, «once upon a time», have a good time. In casual talk: «what time u coming», «about time». In the exam voice: «the duration», «the elapsed interval», «at a time of 14:20». Phrases: «on time» (not late), «in time» (early enough), «from time to time», «time's up».
examples
- What time does the train leave? tree →
- It takes 20 minutes each time. tree →
- She jumped 5 times. tree →
- He has 3 times as many cards as Ann. tree →
- Six times seven is forty-two. tree →
- Be on time for school. tree →
- We had a great time at the beach. tree →
- Time how long it takes the ice to melt. tree →
- bus at 8:40 its 8:25 now, how much time (casual) tree →
- About time! You said 10 minutes, it's been 40. (rough) tree →
- His uncle is doing time for robbery. (slang) tree →
- Determine the duration, in minutes, of a journey commencing at 14:20 and concluding at 15:05. (formal exam) tree →
- The girls arrived just in time. tree →
note
«Time» (hours) is usually uncountable; «times» (occasions or multiplying) is countable. «Times as many» means multiply. «How many times» counts repeats. Trap: «3 times more than» is often read as × 3; tell how you read it. Trap: time is counted in 60s, not 100s. «On time» means not late; «in time» means early enough. «Time out» is a pause, not a number. Formal «duration» and «elapsed time» = how long: end − start.
In the corpora
- Hard times are also when scammers strike, with messages that look urgent and real.
- Inflation means prices rise over time, so the same pound buys less; if pay rises more slowly, families are worse off.
- "Going out with someone" means two people are a couple who spend time together because they like each other a lot.
- A rough patch is a hard time in a relationship, with more arguing or unhappiness, and many couples come through it.
- Mixing two families takes time, and it is normal to find it hard at first.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «time» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.