Time

Time, tīm, n. a point at which, or period during which, things happen: a season or proper time: an opportunity: absolute duration: an interval: past time: the duration of one's life: allotted period: repetition of anything or mention with reference to repetition: musical measure, or rate of movement: a measured interval in verse: (gram.) the relation of a verb with regard to tense: the umpire's call in prize-fights, &c.: hour of travail: the state of things at any period, usually in pl.: the history of the world, as opposed to eternity: addition of a thing to itself.—v.t. to do at the proper season: to regulate as to time: (mus.) to measure.—v.i. to keep or beat time.—ns. Time′-ball, a ball arranged to drop from the summit of a pole at a particular time; Time′-bargain, a contract to buy or sell merchandise or stock at a certain time in the future.—adjs. Time′-beguil′ing, making the time pass quickly; Time′-bett′ering, improving the state of things as time goes on; Time′-bewast′ed (Shak.), wasted or worn by time.—ns. Time′-bill, a time-table; Time′-book, a book for keeping an account of the time men have worked; Time′-card, a card bearing a time-table: a card with blank spaces for workmen's hours, &c., being filled in; Time′-fuse, a fuse calculated to burn a definite length of time; Time′-gun, a gun which is fired by means of a mechanical contrivance and a current of electricity at a particular time.—adj. Time′-hon′oured, honoured for a long time: venerable on account of antiquity.—ns. Time′ist, Tim′ist, a musical performer in relation to his sense for time; Time′-keep′er, a clock, watch, or other instrument for keeping or marking time: one who keeps the time of workmen.—adj. Time′less, done at an improper time, unseasonable: (Shak.) done before the proper time.—adv. Time′lessly, before the proper time: unseasonably.—n. Time′liness.—adj. Time′ly, in good time: sufficiently early: (obs.) keeping time.—adv. early, soon.—adjs. Time′ly-part′ed (Shak.), having died in time—i.e. at a natural time; Time′ous, in Scot. legal phraseology, in good time: seasonable.—adv. Time′ously, in good time.—ns. Time′piece, a piece of machinery for keeping time, esp. a clock for a mantel-piece; Time′-pleas′er (Shak.), one who complies with prevailing opinions, whatever they be; Time′-serv′er, one who serves or meanly suits his opinions to the times.—adj. Time′-serving, complying with the spirit of the times or with present power.—n. mean compliance with the spirit of the times or with present power.—ns. Time′-tā′ble, a table or list showing the times of certain things, as trains, steamers, &c.; Time′-thrust, a thrust made in fencing at the moment the opponent draws breath for his thrust; Time′-work, labour paid for by the hour or the day—opp. to Piece-work.—adjs. Time′-worn, worn or decayed by time; Tim′ous (Bacon), timely.—Time out of mind, from time immemorial.—Apparent time, true solar time as shown by a carefully adjusted sun-dial; Astronomical time, the time past mean noon of that day, and reckoned on to twenty-four hours in mean time; At times, at distinct intervals: occasionally; Be master of one's time, to be free to do what one likes; Civil time, common time, or mean time, in which the day begins at midnight, and is divided into equal portions of twelve hours each; Fill time, to book vacant dates; In time, Time enough, in good season, sufficiently early; Keep time, to indicate the time correctly: to make any regular rhythmical movements at the same time with others; Lose time, to let time pass without making use of it: to run slow—of a watch, &c.; Make time, to recover lost time: to perform in a certain time; Mean time, the mean or average of apparent time, as shown by a good clock; Sidereal time, the portion of a sidereal day which has elapsed since the transit of the first point of Aries; Solar time, time as shown by the sun or sun-dial; The time being, the present time. [A.S. tíma; cf. Ice. tími; and Tide.]