2
general::
a time when something happens time a time when something happens or when you should do something: • The last time I saw her she was in high school. • It’s time for you to go to bed. • The best time to visit Scotland is in late May. occasion a time when something happens. Occasion is more formal than time: • They have been seen together on several occasions. • The last occasion the two teams met, the Giants won easily. moment a particular point in time when something happens: • At that moment (= at exactly that time ) , the door bell rang. • The next moment she was gone. point a particular time during a longer period of time: • At one point during the play she completely forgot her lines. • the lowest point of the holiday a long time a long time a long period of time, especially many months or years: • They’ve been married a long time – nearly 30 years. • The house has been empty for a long time. all day/night/year/week continuing for the whole day, night, year etc – used especially to emphasize that it is a long time: • It’s going to take me all night to finish this essay. • He’s in London all week, and only comes home at the weekends. hours/weeks/months/years many hours, weeks, months, or years – used to emphasize that it is a long time, or much longer than it should be: • It’s years since I rode a bike. • My wife had to wait months for a hospital appointment. ages especially British English informal a very long time: • I’ve been standing here for ages. • The software takes ages to load. • They’ve lived there for ages. a while ( also some time ) a fairly long time: • I hadn’t seen Paul for a while, and he’d completely changed. • It may be some time before the company starts to make a profit. the longest time American English a very long time: • For the longest time, my daughter wasn’t reading at all. • It took me the longest time to figure out how to work the sunroof in this car. a short time a minute/moment a short time: • I’ll call you back in a minute. • Can I show you something? It will only take a moment. a second a very short time: • I’ll be ready in a second. • Just a second – I can’t find my wallet. an instant written a very short time: • In an instant, they were gone. • He paused for an instant. a little while/a short while a short period of time, especially a few hours, days, or weeks: • I’ve been to Tokyo, but I was only there for a short while. • I saw him a little while ago.
5
general::
noun 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! | drag Time drags in this job. | heal sth Time heals all wounds. PREP. in ~ The world exists in time and space. | over ~ Perceptions change over time. | through ~ travel through time PHRASES the mists of time The origins of this custom are lost in the mists of time. time shown on a clock ADJ. good, perfect My watch keeps good time. | local The attacks were launched at 9 p.m. local time. | British Summer, Greenwich Mean, etc. VERB + TIME tell Can your son tell the time yet? | have Have you got the time? | make What time do you make it? | look at Look at the time! We'll be late. | keep PREP. ahead of/behind … ~ two hours behind Central European Time PHRASES this time tomorrow, etc. This time tomorrow I'll be in Canada. | time in/of the morning/afternoon/evening, time of (the) night/year, time of day time when sth happens/should happen ADJ. peak There are extra buses at peak times. | closing, opening | arrival, departure VERB + TIME fix, set We need to fix a time for the next meeting. TIME + VERB come You'll feel differently about it when the time comes. PREP. ahead of ~ Check the programme ahead of time. | behind ~ The plane took off an hour behind time. | by the ~ By the time you get there the meeting will be over. | in ~ We got home in time to see the end of the match. | on ~ The trains are rarely on time. amount of time ADJ. considerable, long | little, short | reasonable | precious We're wasting precious time. | idle | free, leisure, spare | journey, travel, travelling | lead, waiting There is a long lead time between order and delivery of the product. VERB + TIME have Have you got time for a chat? I had no time to think. | 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. | kill, pass, while away It helps to pass the time. | fritter away, idle away | devote, put She devotes all her spare time to gardening. He put all his time into the show. | allow They didn't allow much time for discussion. | 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. | 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/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 period, scale, span | limit | lag PREP. at a ~ He surfs the Internet for hours at a time. | for a ~ I lived there for a time. | in ~ You'll get used to the work in time. | over/with ~ 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 whole 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). | a battle/race against time Finishing the book was a race against 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/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 I'll be back in ten minutes' time. | in your own (good) time (= taking as long as you want/need), a length of time Have you lived abroad for any length of time? | most of the time, a period of time, some/a long time ago Her parents died a long time ago. | a waste of time What a waste of time! (often times) period in the past/present ADJ. good, great, happy | bad, difficult, hard, rough, sad, troubled, unhappy Times are hard for the unemployed. | ancient, early, former, old in ancient times | modern, recent | medieval, prehistoric, etc. VERB + TIME have We had a great time at the party. TIME + VERB change Times have changed since Grandma was young. PREP. at a/the~ He lived at the time of the French Revolution. At one time Mary was my best friend. | before your ~ The Beatles were before my time. | in your ~ Mr Curtis was the manager in my time (= when I was working there). | in ~s in times of trouble PHRASES from/since time immemorial (= for a very long time), of all time the greatest footballer of all time | a sign of the times, time was when Time was when (= there was a time when) we never needed to lock our house at night. occasion ADJ. that, this I'm determined to pass this time. | 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. | 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. | umpteenth | countless I've told you countless times. VERB + TIME 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. PREP. at a/the ~ The lift 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 ~ She'll have gone by the time we get there. | for the … ~ I told her not to do it for the umpteenth time. | ~ for It's time for a break. PHRASES at the present time, for the time being (= temporarily), a number of times, X times out of X three times out of ten when you experience sth in a particular way ADJ. enjoyable, fun, good, grand, great, marvellous, pleasant, splendid, wonderful It was a fun time for us girls. | awful, dreadful, horrible, miserable, sad, terrible VERB + TIME have Did you have a good time in Spain? time taken in a race, etc. ADJ. 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. musical rhythm ADJ. march, waltz | double, quick | four-four, three-four, etc. VERB + TIME beat, keep The conductor beat time with a baton. TIME + NOUN signature PREP. in/out of ~ (to/with) clapping in time to the music
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs