- time
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 what is measured in minutes, hours, days, etc.TIME + VERB▪ elapse, go by, pass▪
As time went by we saw less and less of each other.
▪The changing seasons mark the passing of time.
▪ fly▪How time flies!
▪ go▪Where does the time go?
▪ drag▪Time drags in this job.
▪ heal sth▪Time heals all wounds.
PREPOSITION▪ in time▪The play takes us back in time to the 1940s.
▪ over time▪Perceptions change over time.
▪ through time▪travel through time
PHRASES▪ a matter of time▪It was only a matter of time before someone tried to kill him.
▪ the mists of time▪The origins of this custom are lost in the mists of time.
2 time shown on a clockADJECTIVE▪ good, perfect▪My watch keeps good time.
▪ local▪The attacks were launched at 9 p.m. local time.
▪ daylight saving▪ British Summer, Eastern Standard, Greenwich Mean, etc.VERB + TIME▪ tell▪Can he tell the time yet? (BrE)
▪Can he tell time yet? (AmE)
▪ have▪Do you have the time?
▪What time do you have? (AmE)
▪ make▪What time do you make it? (BrE)
▪ look at▪Look at the time! We'll be late.
▪ check▪Let me just check the time.
▪ keepTIME + NOUN▪ zonePREPOSITION▪ ahead of … time, behind … time▪10 hours behind Pacific Standard Time
PHRASES▪ at … time in the morning/afternoon/evening, at … time of day, at … time of the morning/afternoon/evening/night▪There's less traffic at this time of day.
▪What are you doing out of bed at this time of night?
▪ time of year, time of the year▪The leaves start to turn red at this time of (the) year.
▪ this time tomorrow, etc.▪This time tomorrow I'll be in Canada.
3 time when sth happens/should happenADJECTIVE▪ peak▪There are extra buses at peak times.
▪ prime▪ closing, opening▪ arrival, departureVERB + TIME▪ fix (BrE), set▪We need to set a time for the next meeting.
▪ changeTIME + VERB▪ come▪You'll feel differently about it when the time comes.
PREPOSITION▪ ahead of time▪We had everything worked out ahead of time.
▪ behind time (BrE)▪The plane took off an hour behind time.
▪ by the time▪By the time you get there the meeting will be over.
▪ in time▪We got home in time to see the end of the game.
▪ on time▪The trains are rarely on time.
▪ time for▪It's time for dinner.
4 amount of timeADJECTIVE▪ considerable, long▪ little, short▪ limited▪It is a special price for a limited time.
▪ total▪ reasonable▪ precious▪We're wasting precious time.
▪ idle▪ free, leisure, spare▪ quality▪ journey, travel, travelling/traveling▪ running▪the movie's two-hour running time
▪ playing (esp. AmE), screen▪The coach plans to give younger players more playing time.
▪De Niro makes the most of limited screen time.
▪ lead, waiting▪There is a long lead time between order and delivery of the product.
… OF TIME▪ amount, length, period▪Have you lived overseas for any length of time?
▪ great deal▪A great deal of time has been spent on developing this software.
VERB + TIME▪ have▪Do you have time for a chat?
▪I had no time to think.
▪ need▪Do you need more time?
▪ give sb/sth▪I can certainly do the job if you give me time.
▪ take (sb)▪It takes time to make changes in the law.
▪It took her a long time to read the report.
▪Take your time (= take as much time as you like).
▪ spend▪She spends much of her time reading.
▪I hope to spend more time with my family.
▪ kill, pass, while away▪It helps to pass the time.
▪ fritter away, idle away▪ devote, put, use▪She devotes all her spare time to gardening.
▪He put all his time into the show.
▪ allow, leave▪They didn't allow much time for discussion.
▪This doesn't leave much time for us to get ready.
▪ find, make▪I can never find time to write letters.
▪I can probably make the time to see them.
▪ wait▪We had to wait some time before the bus arrived.
▪ gain, save▪You would save time with a dishwasher.
▪ reduce▪measures to reduce waiting times
▪ waste▪ lose, run out of▪We have no time to lose (= we must hurry).
▪I didn't finish the test—I ran out of time.
▪ be pressed for, be short of▪ be out of▪ play for▪Not knowing what to do, she played for time by going to the bathroom.
TIME + VERB▪ be up, run out▪Sorry, your time is up.
TIME + NOUN▪ frame, interval, period, scale, span▪ limit▪ lagPREPOSITION▪ at a time▪He surfs the Internet for hours at a time.
▪ for a time▪I lived there for a time.
▪ in time▪You'll get used to the work in time.
▪ over time, with time▪Her skills improved with time.
PHRASES▪ all in good time (= sth will happen when the time is right)▪Be patient, Emily! All in good time.
▪ all the time▪The letter was in my pocket all the time (= while I was looking for it).
▪She leaves the lights on all the time (= always/repeatedly).
▪ the entire time, the whole time▪ for quite some time▪He'd been thinking about quitting his job for quite some time.
▪ if time permits▪We will discuss this matter later, if time permits.
▪ in the fullness of time (= when the time is right, usually after a long period)▪ in good of time, in plenty of time▪Get to the airport in good time (= plenty of time before the plane leaves).
▪ in next to no time, in no time at all▪ in ten minutes', three hours', etc. time (esp. BrE)▪I'll be back in ten minutes' time.
▪ in your own good time, in your own time (= taking as long as you want/need)▪ most of the time▪ a race against time▪Finishing the book was a race against time.
▪ a long time ago, some time ago▪Her parents died a long time ago.
▪ a waste of time▪What a waste of time!
5 (often times) period in the past/presentADJECTIVE▪ good, great, happy▪ bad, difficult, hard, rough, sad, tough, troubled, unhappy▪Times are hard for the unemployed.
▪ ancient, early, former, old▪in ancient times
▪ modern, recent▪ medieval, prehistoric, etc.TIME + VERB▪ change▪Times have changed since Grandma was young.
PREPOSITION▪ at a/the time▪He lived at the time of the Civil War.
▪At one time Mary was my best friend.
▪ before sb's time▪The Beatles were before my time.
▪ in sb's time▪Mr Curtis was the manager in my time (= when I was working there).
▪ in times▪in times of trouble
PHRASES▪ from time immemorial, since time immemorial (= for a very long time)▪ of all time▪the greatest hockey player of all time
▪ a sign of the times▪It's a sign of the times when sports stars earn more than movie stars.
▪ time was when▪Time was when (= there was a time when) we never needed to lock our house at night.
6 occasionADJECTIVE▪ that, this▪I'm determined to pass this time.
▪ final, last▪When was the last time you saw her?
▪ another, next▪Next time you're here let's have lunch together.
▪ one▪ each, every▪Every time I hear that song I feel happy.
▪ only▪ same▪ appropriate, good, suitable▪Is this an appropriate time to discuss my salary?
▪ appointed, right▪ bad, wrong▪This would be a bad time to tell her.
▪ first, second, etc.▪For the first time in history, more than half of us now live in cities.
▪ umpteenth▪ countless, many▪I've told you countless times.
▪ several… OF TIMES▪ couple▪ numberVERB + TIME▪ remember▪I can remember the first time I met her.
▪ bide▪We'll have to bide our time until the rain stops.
TIME + VERB▪ come▪Your time will come.
▪ be ripe▪The time is ripe for revolution.
PREPOSITION▪ at a/the time▪The chairlift can take four people at a time.
▪At the time of writing, a ceasefire is under discussion.
▪Hot water is available at all times.
▪He can be rather moody at times.
▪ by the time▪She'll have gone by the time we get there.
▪ for the … time▪I told her not to do it for the umpteenth time.
PHRASES▪ at the present time▪ for the time being (= temporarily)▪ a number of times▪ x times out of x▪three times out of ten
7 when you experience sth in a particular wayADJECTIVE▪ enjoyable, fun, good, grand (esp. BrE), great, marvellous/marvelous, pleasant, splendid (esp. BrE), wonderful▪It was a fun time for us girls.
▪ awful, dreadful (esp. BrE), horrible, miserable, sad, terrible▪ difficult, hardVERB + TIME▪ have▪Did you have a good time in Spain?
▪We had a great time at the party.
▪ enjoy8 time taken in a race, etc.ADJECTIVE▪ fast▪ record▪He completed the course in record time.
VERB + TIME▪ clock up, record▪She clocked up one of the fastest times of the year.
TIME + NOUN▪ trial9 musical rhythmADJECTIVE▪ waltz▪ double, quickVERB + TIME▪ beat, keep▪The conductor beat time with a baton.
TIME + NOUN▪ signaturePREPOSITION▪ in time, in time to, in time with, out of time with▪Kelly played guitar and everyone clapped their hands in time.
▪{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}They were clapping in time to the music.
verbADVERB▪ conveniently, well▪This campaign is well timed.
▪ beautifully (esp. BrE), perfectly, to perfection▪a beautifully timed entrance
▪We had timed our arrival to perfection.
▪ badly, poorly▪ carefully▪The schedule must be carefully timed.
▪ preciselyPREPOSITION▪ for▪The meeting is timed for 3 o'clock.
PHRASES▪ be timed to coincide with sth▪The show is timed to coincide with the launch of her new book.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
