galactic year

(astronomy) The time taken for the Solar System to orbit around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, estimated to be from 225 to 250 million years.

(astronomy, by extension) The time taken for a celestial body to complete a quasi-orbit in a galaxy.


triennium

en-noun

triennium (plural trienniums or triennia)

/trʌɪˈɛnɪəm/

From Latin triennium, from triennis (“3-year”) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns).


timesaver

timesavers (plural)
time-saver (alternative)

An act which allows one to accomplish a task more quickly.


quincentenary

Synonym of quincentennial (“a 500th anniversary”).


quincentenary

Synonym of quincentennial (“of or related to a 500th anniversary”).


fall on

en-verb

fall on (third-person singular simple present falls on, present participle falling on, simple past fell on, past participle fallen on)

falls on (present singular third-person)
falling on (participle present)
fell on (past)
fallen on (participle past)

The first day of spring this year will fall on a Tuesday.

(of a holiday or event) To occur on a particular day.


to the day

It was a year ago to the day that I first met him.

Of temporal measurements or comparisons: exactly; measured on the level of days, rather than more loosely by weeks, months etc.


subchron

(geology) The time interval of a geomagnetic reversal event in the stratigraphic record.


arrow of time

arrows of time (plural)
time's arrow (alternative)

(physics) The direction of time within a four-dimensional relativistic view of the cosmos.


chronokinesis

(science fiction) The ability to manipulate the flow of time.


seasonlong

Armstrong reaffirmed that he is, above all, interested in making seasonlong use of his bully pulpit to promote the worldwide fight against cancer.

2009 January 18, Christopher Clarey, “Armstrong Returns to Riding With a Purpose”, in New York Times:


multidecade

With the pound at a multidecade low and British banks requiring ever-larger injections of taxpayer cash, it is no wonder that observers have started to refer to London as “Reykjavik-on-Thames.”

2009 January 22, Julia Werdigier, Nelson D. Schwartz, “The Falling Pound Raises Fears of Nationalization”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 2012-02-06:


halfmonth

(loosely) A fortnight, a period of time equal to two weeks; fourteen days.


AEST

Australian Eastern Standard Time#English

Initialism of Australian Eastern Standard Time.


multiday

Entering a whole new realm of high seasonally averaged temperatures, not just multiday heat waves, will surely challenge the global population's ability to produce adequate food in the future or even to cope physically with chronic heat stress, unless major adaptations are made.

2009 January 9, David. S. Battisti, Rosamond L. Naylor, “Historical Warnings of Future Food Insecurity with Unprecedented Seasonal Heat”, in Science, volume 323, number 5911, →DOI:


monthslong

A former United States Senator, John B. Breaux, ended his monthslong flirtation with the Louisiana governor’s race Friday evening, declaring that he would be not be a candidate in the election this fall.

2007 April 14, Adam Nossiter, “Ex-Senator Will Not Run for Governor of Louisiana”, in New York Times:


summerlong

“We don’t want it to be a summerlong event, though,” said Corrigan O’Donohue, a lieutenant with the Royal Oak Police Department.

2007 August 3, Mary M. Chapman, “Growing Pains for a Yearly Tribute to Classic American Cars”, in New York Times:


decadelong

papal infallibility aside, dr. möller is holding out against a decadelong march of skepticism about antidepressants. Deacon's article is only the latest round of research questioning the drugs.

2008 October, Paul Scott, “Was the Prozac revolution all in our heads?”, in Men's Health, volume 23, number 8, →ISSN, page 146:

"It would not surprise me if this was a decadelong issue," Naz Gauri, principal associate in law firm Eversheds Sutherland's insurance litigation team, said in an interview.

2021 November 29, Ben Dyson, quoting Naz Gauri, “Insurers' COVID-19 claims battle far from over in UK as big cases loom”, in S&P Global Market Intelligence (news), S&P Global:


regnal year

(law) A year in the reign of a monarch, beginning on the day of accession, the set of which are numbered ordinally. Formerly laws in the United Kingdom were identified in part by the regnal year of the monarch, and this practice is still followed in some Commonwealth countries.


harvest time

en-noun

harvest time (countable and uncountable, plural harvest times)

harvest times (plural)
harvesttime (alternative)

The time of year during which which harvest occurs.


precosmic

Occurring or existing before the existence of the universe.

précosmique

occurring or existing before the existence of the universe


pretemporal

Occurring or happening before the existence of time.


precreative

/ˌpɹiːkɹɪˈeɪtɪv/

Occurring or happening before the supposed creation of the universe.


pre-hexameral

(obsolete) Occurring before the supposed creation of the universe.


preplanetary

Before the existence or formation of planets.


hypertime

hypertime (usually uncountable, plural hypertimes)

Any of various fictional or theoretical time-like constructs that extend beyond normal time, usually by encompassing or spanning many distinct timelines (sometimes infinitely many).

hipertimp

time-like constructions that extend beyond normal time


multihour

It’s just that when I’ve been stripped of my possessions, my dignity and any semblance of personal space and then strapped in for a multihour spell in the world’s most cramped and crappy bar car, the little niceties go a long way toward keeping me – keeping everyone – sane.

2012 June 13, Kat Kinsman, “That’s how the cookie (and a passenger’s calm) crumbles”, in CNN:

In the case of a dramatic runway incursion last year at New York’s John. F. Kennedy International Airport, the pilots took off for the multihour trip to London after nearly hitting another loaded passenger jet.

2024 January 8, Gregory Wallace, “Cockpit voice recorders only record 2 hours at a time. The NTSB chair wants it to be 25 hours”, in CNN:

многагадзі́нны (mnohahadzínny, literally “of many hours”)

многочасово́й (mnogočasovój, literally “of many hours”)

несколькочасово́й (neskolʹkočasovój, literally “of a few/several hours”)

багатогоди́нний (bahatohodýnnyj, literally “of many hours”)

кількагоди́нний (kilʹkahodýnnyj, literally “of a few/several hours”)


mauvais quart d'heure

mauvais quart d'heure (plural mauvais quarts d'heure)

/məʊˌveɪ kɑː(ɹ)ˈdɜː(ɹ)/

Unadapted borrowing from French mauvais quart d'heure (“bad quarter of an hour”).

ubor

Life, Lady Stutfield, is simply a mauvais quart d’heure made up of exquisite moments.

1893, Oscar Wilde, A Woman of No Importance, published 1906, act II, page 74:

It was a mauvais quart d’heure, the Christmas holidays of ’96, and poor Willy Phillips never lived to see the fight recovered.

1898 April 13, Henry Adams, “[Letter]”, in Ernest Samuels, editor, Henry Adams: Selected Letters, published 1992, →ISBN, page 343:

Many Guardian readers will have suffered a mauvais quart d'heure when they found out that their views on the Gulf war were closer to Peter's than Christopher's.

2003 November 1, Nicholas Lezard, “More than the usual authorial suspects”, in The Guardian:

Kate Fall, Cameron’s deputy chief of staff, has an initial mauvais quart d’heure when all she is offered is the chance to run Comic Relief […]

2020 December 17, Rosemary Hill, “Gosh, what am I like?”, in London Review of Books, volume 42, number 24:

(chiefly British) A brief unpleasant period; a bad yet quick experience.


hourslong

Behind the nation's fighting men of today moved the still-jaunty fighting men of 1917 in an hourslong procession.

1940 September 24, “Millions watch legion's parade”, in Spokane Daily Chronicle:

First-time heart attacks typically occur over a longer period of time, with a slow, sometimes hourslong buildup to the 911 call.

2002 February, Peter Mehlman, “Anxiety is funny. Panic is hard”, in Esquire, volume 137, number 2, page 58:

He writes prose with a conversational tone suited for a bus driver talking with a lone passenger on an hourslong excursion.

2009 August 13, John W. Barry, “Songwriter's sojourn in Woodstock was not the best of times”, in Deseret News, archived from the original on 2013-06-28:

As Eric Traub walked Ms. Squires around Cambridge, the two stopped for dinner and dived into an hourslong conversation about their life transitions, social justice, politics and the last decade of their lives.

2009 August 21, Katie Zezima, “Leah Squires and Eric Traub”, in New York Times:

Of course, not all veterans are scribbling away madly during those hourslong sessions.

2009 August 22, Mike Berardino, “Players must also excel in the classroom”, in Sun Sentinel, archived from the original on 2009-08-26:

Alternative spelling of hours-long (“Lasting for hours.”).


minuteslong

The crowd gave him a rousing, minuteslong, standing ovation.

2006, Katheryn Russell-Brown, Protecting our own: race, crime, and African Americans, page 48:


kiloyear

(geology, science fiction) Synonym of millennium: A period of one thousand years.


quinquennal

From Latin quīnquennālis, from quīnquennis (“5-year”) + -ālis (“-al”), from quinque (“five”) + annus (“year”) + -is (“forming compound adjectives”).

Synonym of quinquennium, a 5-year period.


ol'

Your ol' grandpa.

Ol' Waylon

Before you say it: No, it's not your regular, ol' button-up shirt. A shacket is a slightly oversized shirt-jacket hybrid that is just *chef's kiss* for layering.

2023 November 4, Kim Duong, Megan Uy, Tarah-Lynn Saint-Elien, “22 Best Shackets to Get You Through the Chilly Fall Weather”, in Cosmopolitan:

(colloquial) Contraction of old; used chiefly preceding names as a term of affection, admiration, or respect.


timescape

From time + -scape, probably by analogy with landscape.

Back to the Future
DeLorean DMC-12
San Diego Comic-Con

timescape n. time conceived of, or perceived as, possessing multiple dimensions.

[2007, “timescape”, in Jeff Prucher, editor, Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 241:

My awareness extended beyond human memory and I drifted, lost in the crevices of the now visible Timescape. Then a point of light beckoned me and I strove for it. The light became the memory of my personality and I dove into it. I swirled in an ever-tightening spiral. I was all eight of my great-grand parents, I was both of my grandfathers and both of my grandmothers, I was my mother and my father and, finally, I was Jonathan Crowe again and I could now reflect upon what had been done to me.

2008 April 17, Jefferson R. Weekley, “The Pool of Blood”, in Red Earth, Bloomington, Ind.: AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 214:

[Mark] Zuckerberg is pursued throughout the timescape by the litigious Winklevoss twins, who operate a time machine bought for them by their daddy. Zuckerberg must constantly leap to and fro throughout the centuries in order to duck summonses.

2011, Travis Harmon, Jonathan Shockley, “Introduction”, in Let There Be Facebook: Status Updates from God, Gaga, and Everyone in between, New York, N.Y.: Touchstone Books, →ISBN, page vii, footnote 2:

(science fiction) A multi-dimensional view of time, especially one in which time travel occurs.


timepoint

timepoints (plural)
time-point (alternative)


bath time

en-noun

bath time (countable and uncountable, plural bath times)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-bath time.wav

The time of day when a person has, or is given, a bath.


fashionably late

en-adv

fashionably late (comparative more fashionably late, superlative most fashionably late)

more fashionably late (comparative)
most fashionably late (superlative)

Three hours later—fashionably late, of course—the Stuart party swept in state into their box.

1874, May Agnes Fleming, chapter V, in A Terrible Secret:

Ex-Senator Blount's party of three was fashionably late at the function in Mesa Circle, but in the crush filling the spacious drawing-rooms the hostess and her long line of receiving assistants were still on duty.

1913, Francis Lynde, chapter X, in The Honorable Senator Sage-Brush:

The sofa which she had counted on to hold four looked crowded with three[…] and when the Simpsons came, fashionably late (having only just finished dinner), they had to content themselves with the end of a holland-covered form hired from the baker.

1917, O. Douglas [pseudonym; Anna Masterton Buchan], chapter II, in The Setons:

Well, she's fashionably lean / And she's fashionably late / She'll never rank a scene / She'll never break a date

1967, “Twentieth Century Fox”, in The Doors, performed by The Doors:

(idiomatic) Arriving behind time to an event which does not normally require one to be punctual.


septennial

From septennium + -al, from Latin septennis (“7-year”), q.v.

septennial parliaments... septennial elections...

"Lawgivers were never more mistaken," said Lady Mary, "than when they ordained that the conjugal tie should last through life for better and worse; the last injunction being strictly complied with. There should be septennial marriages, as well as septennial parliaments!"

1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “An Act of Parliament”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 189:


sexennial

From New Latin sexennialis (16th century), equivalent to sexennium + -al.

[T]his evil was exterior and accidental, and not so much the vice of their constitution itself, as it must be in your new contrivance of sexennial elective judicatories.

1790, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France:

Pertaining to a period of six years; taking place once every six years.


epact

From French épacte, from Latin epactae, from Ancient Greek ἐπακταί (epaktaí, “intercalary days”), feminine plural of ἐπακτός (epaktós, “brought on or in, added”).

der

the time (number of days) by which a solar year exceeds twelve lunar months; it is used in the calculation of the date of Easter

epakti

the time by which a solar year exceeds twelve lunar months


time and again

For successful and efficient operation, mechanical stokers must be fed with suitable coal. This has been proved time and again in all countries where stoker-fired engines are used.

1959 November, P. Ransome-Wallis, “The British Railways Clas "9" 2-10-0s: Part Two”, in Trains Illustrated, page 556:

Mario Gotze was inventive, Lewandowski a menace, and Shinji Kagawa a constant source of energy as, time and again, the hosts played through a porous Arsenal midfield.

2011 September 13, Sam Lyon, “Borussia Dortmund 1 - 1 Arsenal”, in BBC:


time and time again

I long to see the sunlight in your hair / And tell you time and time again how much I care

1983, Lionel Richie, “Hello”, in Can't Slow Down:

I've been married to Wim for more than 32 years, and for 17 of those years he was also my IT rock at Accent Jobs. I really won the lottery with him: A role in a woman's shadow is not for every man. Wim is the one who helped me be daring enough to take a leap, time and time again.

2022, Conny Vandendriessche, Dream, Dare, Do:

NR claims that its renewal has been "postponed time and time again" over the last ten to 20 years and is now inevitable.

2023 May 31, Philip Haigh, “Network News: Crewe-Carlisle marked urgent to meet HS2 demands”, in RAIL, number 984, page 8:


financial year

As yet, we don't know what the comparable figures will be like for the current financial year which ends in March 2022, but we can have a good stab at approximating them.

2022 January 12, Sir Michael Holden, “Reform of the workforce or death by a thousand cuts?”, in RAIL, number 948, page 22:

(British, accounting) Synonym of fiscal year.


decade-long

decade long (alternative)
decadelong (alternative)

By 1960, NASA had sketched the outline for a decadelong effort toward unmanned and then manned lunar explorations, as well as sending spacecraft to Venus and Mars.

2007 June 11, Jeremy Pearce, “Homer J. Stewart, 91, Aerospace Engineer, Dies”, in New York Times:


in a few shakes

“And do you realize that in a few shakes I've got to show up at dinner and have Mrs Cream being very, very kind to me? It hurts the pride of the Woosters, Jeeves.”

1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XXI, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:


any more

non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger

/ˌæ.niˈmɔːɹ/

They don't make repairable radios any more.

Sonny came round to childsit today. (Not babysit. I’m not a baby any more – thank you very much!)

2005 June 30, Malorie Blackman, “Callie Rose is 11”, in Checkmate (Noughts & Crosses; 3), London: Corgi Books, published 2006, →ISBN, page 174:

(in negative or interrogative constructions) From a given time onwards; longer, again.


duodecade

duodecades (plural)
dodecade (alternative)

Borrowed from Late Latin duodecas (“twelve”), from Ancient Greek δυωδεκάς (duōdekás, “twelve”). Equivalent to duodeca- + -ade.

der

Each Chinese New Year during a "Jupiter return"—when a duodecade has passed and the Chinese zodiac animal of your birth year comes back around—it is expected that you find some red underwear to put on for the special occasion.

A second part is meadow-land, and every twelve years this is divided into as many parts as there are holders of village rights, and each one receives a share, of which he has the exclusive use until the redivision at the end of the duodecade.

1880, The Popular Science Monthly, page 471:


screen time

en-noun

screen time (countable and uncountable, plural screen times)

screen times (plural)
screentime (alternative)

The editorial advised parents of small children to limit their kids' screen time.

In many families, children are getting more screen time than the parents think is good for them, although it's probably less than the children want.

2016, Noël Janis-Norton, Calmer Easier Happier Screen Time, Hachette UK, →ISBN:

Every single parent I know frets about “screen time”, and most are engaged in a struggle with a toddler over how much iPad is allowed.

2018 March 4, Jamie Bartlett, “Will 2018 be the year of the neo-luddite?”, in The Guardian:

And then there is the radical impact that screen time and social media have had on the younger generation, something that previous generations have never experienced.

2023 June 13, Bernie Sanders, “America is facing a mental health crisis”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

The amount of time a person spends using screen-accessed technology (such as a television, a computer, a smartphone, etc.).


hebdomadary

From Late Latin hebdomadārius, from hebdomas (“week”).

(Roman Catholicism) A member of a chapter or convent whose week it is to officiate in the choir and perform other services, which, on extraordinary occasions, are performed by the superiors.


not a minute too soon

(idiomatic) at the last possible moment; just in time


in living memory

The Roberts Court is the most politically conservative in living memory.

Last summer, Georgia was hit by the mightiest heat wave in living memory.

Long believed to be extinct, the purple-bellied speckled turtle was sighted for the first time in living memory in a remote pasture near Chicago.

The snowstorm of Sunday, January 28, was the worst in living memory.

1941 April, “Notes and News: Railwaymen and Snow”, in Railway Magazine, page 177:

(idiomatic) In recent history, in recorded history amongst the lifespan of extant people; events or situations which can be remembered by people that are still alive.


turn back the clock

en-verb

turn back the clock (third-person singular simple present turns back the clock, present participle turning back the clock, simple past and past participle turned back the clock)

turns back the clock (present singular third-person)
turning back the clock (participle present)
turned back the clock (participle past)
turned back the clock (past)
turn the clocks back (alternative)

We had a terrible year so we agreed to turn back the clock and go on as if it hadn't happened.

(figuratively, idiomatic) To return to a previous state.


Nortia

(mythology) An Etruscan goddess of time, fate, destiny and chance.


ever and anon

Ever and anon a bright, but, alas, deceptive idea would dart you through.

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 3, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 12:

I could see Salemina at the far end of the table radiant with success, the W. S. at her side bending ever and anon to catch the (artificial) pearls of thought that dropped from her lips.

1898, Kate Douglas Wiggin, chapter 6, in Penelope’s Progress […], Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC:

Ever and anon the guard's face could be dimly seen at his window, more like a ghost than a man; [...].

1944 May and June, “When the Circle was Steam Operated”, in Railway Magazine, page 134:

Pippin never forgot that hour in the great hall under the piercing eye of the Lord of Gondor, stabbed ever and anon by his shrewd questions

1955, J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 1:

(literary) Synonym of occasionally, now and then.


fractal response time

en-noun

fractal response time (plural fractal response times)

To properly serve the city, ambulance units must be located in a manner that best services all the residents of the city. The location of ambulances is based on the concept of fractal, rather than average response times. Measuring the response time of all sectors of the city derives the fractal response time. Our goal is to have a first responder or BLS on-scene in less than four minutes and an ALS on-scene in less than eight minutes on 90% of all calls.

2011, City of Houston, HFD Emergency Medical Services:

A measure of response time which uses the concept of fractal dimension in order to resolve variability of average response time with respect to sample size of time series.


closed timelike curve

closed timelike curve (plural closed timelike curves)

(physics) A worldline that returns to its starting point.


Roman ring

closed timelike curve
closed timelike curve

A configuration of wormholes where for each individual wormhole the time difference across its mouths is such that it may not allow a closed timelike curve.


business hours

Business hours are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.

The hours and days when a given business is available to the public.

աշխատանքային ժամեր

The hours and days when businesses generally operate; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.


ancient history

Who cares if he said those things at the beginning of the year? That's ancient history now.

"I want to have a notion how we stand about the bankruptcy." / "Oh, that's ancient history," cried Jim.

1892, Robert Louis Stevenson, Lloyd Osbourne, “Cross-questions and Crooked Answers”, in The Wrecker, London, Paris: Cassell & Company, […], →OCLC, page 276:

(idiomatic) That which happened a long time ago and not worth discussing any more.


winterlong

David and Deena Fishman in the Palm Courtyard of their winterlong vacation haunt, the Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla.

2008 February 8, Joanne Kaufman, “Checking In for the Long Haul”, in New York Times:


chronophagous

en-adj

chronophagous (comparative more chronophagous, superlative most chronophagous)

more chronophagous (comparative)
most chronophagous (superlative)

The method, however, cannot be considered strictly scientific and is much more tedious and chronophagous than the direct determination.

1908, Harvey Washington Wiley, Principles and Practice of Agricultural Analysis; a Manual for the Study of Soils, Fertilizers, and Agricultural Products; for the Use of Analysists, Teachers, and Students of Agricultural Chemistry, 2nd rev. and enl. edition, volumes II (Fertilizers and Insecticides), Easton, Pa.: Chemical Pub. Co., →OCLC, page 425:

As a chronophagous activity as it is, reducing the population's leisure budget, transports also imply a great expenditure of physical and nervous energy to the detriment of manpower's potentiality […]

1978, Sorin M. Rǎdulescu, Viitorul Social: Revistǎ de Sociologie și Științe Politice [The Social Future: Journal of Sociology and Politicology], Bucharest: Academia Republicii Socialiste Romǎnia, →OCLC, page 187:

1994, Aziz Al-Azmeh, “Chronophagous Discourse: A Study of Clerico-Legal Appropriation of the World in an Islamic Tradition”, in Frank E. Reynolds, David Tracy, editors, Religion and Practical Reason: New Essays in the Comparative Philosophy of Religions (Toward a Comparative Philosophy of Religions), Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press, →ISBN, chapter title, page 163:

[W]e have historical masses construed as individual states or permanent conditions of phylogeny. They are conceived as supra-historical masses which speak in the tones of a chronophagous discourse. Thus societies and nations rise and fall, but do not change in any serious sense, and the wheel of fortune is animated, quite literally, by internal, intransitive, self-subsistent pneumatic impulses ([Johann Gottfried] Herder's Kräfte) and which together can be described by the term Volksgeist.

1996, Aziz Al-Azmeh, “Culturalism, Grand Narrative of Capitalism Exultant”, in Anindita Niyogi Balslev, editor, Cross-cultural Conversation (Initiation) (American Academy of Religion Cultural Criticism Series; no. 5), Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 91:

Because modern life is chronophagous and resting necessary, we have invented hypnotherapy—apprenticeship while sleeping.

2012 October 27, Stanislas Kraland, “The French already lacked sleep in 1962”, in The Huffington Post:

Though highly accurate, this method is chronophagous and expensive, making the large numbers of genes required for sequencing a challenge. This was really the start of the demand for rapid and low-cost sequencing technologies, which were eventually met in 2005 by the development of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) (also known as next-generation sequencing, NGS).

2014, Daphne Karfunkel-Doron, Zippora Brownstein, Karen B. Avraham, “Genomic Applications in Audiological Medicine”, in Dhavendra Kumar, Charis Eng, editors, Genomic Medicine: Principles and Practice (Oxford Monographs on Medical Genetics), 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 674:


stardate

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-stardate.wav

Captain's log, stardate 3087.6. While investigating an uncharted planet, the Enterprise and at least this entire quadrant of space, has been subjected to violent, unexplained stress and force.

1967, Star Trek, The Alternative Factor, season 1, episode 27, spoken by William Shatner:

And to avoid any quantum entanglement, make sure that if you visit the show before it closes on the stardate equivalent to Sept. 20, your transporter is in working order.

2009 May 30, Edward Rothstein, “The U.S.S. Enterprise, in Strange New World of Museum”, in New York Times:

(science fiction) A date according to the fictional system of time measurement developed for Star Trek.


academic year

In many countries the academic year starts in September and finishes in August of the next calendar year.

(education) The annual period during which a student attends school, college or university.


time's up

Near-synonym: time is ripe

“Time’s up,” the proctor announced at the end of the third section. “Put your pencils down. There will be a fifteen minute break. You are encouraged to use the bathroom during this time.”

2008, Rick Lax, Lawyer Boy, St. Martin’s Press, page 28:

The deadline has passed; there is no more available time.


in the wink of an eye

"The Silver Shoes," said the Good Witch, "have wonderful powers. And one of the most curious things about them is that they can carry you to any place in the world in three steps, and each step will be made in the wink of an eye. All you have to do is to knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to go."

1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, chapter 23, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:

(idiomatic) instantaneously, extremely quickly


race against time

en-noun

race against time (plural races against time)

Scottish curler Eve Muirhead was left facing a race against time to make the first European Tour event of the season after being stung by a wasp.

2011 September 23, “Eve Muirhead fit for Oslo Cup after wasp sting scare”, in BBC News:

Dealing with all the radioactive waste left on site is a slow-motion race against time, which will last so long that even the grandchildren of those working on site will not see its end. The process will cost at least £121bn.

December 15 2022, Samanth Subramanian, “Dismantling Sellafield: the epic task of shutting down a nuclear site”, in The Guardian:

(idiomatic) A situation in which something must be done hurriedly, before a deadline.

race tegen de klok

situation in which something must be done hurriedly, by a deadline


in the blink of an eye

Picking the ball up in his own half, Januzaj threaded a 40-yard pass into the path of Rooney to slice Southampton open in the blink of an eye.


novennial

From novennium (“9-year period”) + -al, q.v.


terminus ad quem

terminus ad quem (plural termini ad quos)

From Latin terminus (“limit”) + ad (“up to”) + quem (“which”), the accusative of quī (“what”). Literally meaning “the limit up until which”.

the latest possible date of a non-punctual event (period, era, etc.)


vetust

en-adj

vetust (comparative more vetust, superlative most vetust)

more vetust (comparative)
most vetust (superlative)

Borrowed from Latin vetustus (“old, ancient”).

(obsolete) antique; ancient; old, in a positive way


infanthood

en-noun

infanthood (usually uncountable, plural infanthoods)


DDMMYYYY

All dates not in DDMMYYYY format were changed to this format.

A format for dates in the Common Era: 2 digit days, months, and 4 digits for the year. e.g: 18/07/2025


metronomy

The measurement of time by an instrument, such as a metronome.


now and again

I still go swimming now and again, but not as often as when I was a child.

(idiomatic) Synonym of occasionally, sometimes, intermittently.


tricennial

From Latin trīcennium (“30-year period”) + -al, from trīcennis (“30-year”) + -ium, from trīciēs (“30 times”) + annus (“year”) + -is. Compare Latin tricennalis. Equivalent to tri- + decennial. Doublet of tricennal.

Of, related to, lasting, or occurring once every thirty years.


transtemporal

Yet as Locke, for example, clearly recognized, the transtemporal numerical identity of particular vegetables and animals is nevertheless determined by a continuant, namely a form of 'organization' sufficient to maintain vegetable or animal life: that is, to maintain the intrinsic properties of particular vegetables or animals.

1994, John D Greenwood, Realism, Identity and Emotion: Reclaiming Social Psychology, →ISBN:

Recall that one's personal essence is constituted as having a transtemporal validity by position-taking acts. I constitute myself as a personal essence with acts whose validity is “from now on.”

2009, James Hart, Who One Is: Book 2: Existenz and Transcendental Phenomenology, →ISBN:


intertestamental

From inter- + testamental, in reference to the Old and New Testament.

While no full length study has been pursued on the intertestamental influence upon I Cor. 1:18–3:23, a number of scholars find similarity between intertestamental literature and different sections of this passage.

2001, H. H. Drake Williams, III, The Wisdom of the Wise: The Presence and Function of Scripture within 1 Cor. 1:18–3:23, page 15:

(Christianity) Pertaining to the time between the writing of Malachi and the writing of the New Testament, roughly the last four centuries BCE and first half of the first century.

intertestamental

pertaining to the period of time between the writing of Malachi and the wrtiting of the New Testament


isochronon

A bedside isochronon diffused a soft-light 9:30

1980, Felix C. Gotschalk, “The Wishes of Maidens”, in George R. R. Martin, editor, New Voices III: The Campbell Award Nominees, page 175:

(chiefly science fiction) A clock designed to keep very accurate time.


bezzle

Coined by John Kenneth Galbraith, from embezzle.

That word is bezzle. It describes the period in which an embezzler has stolen a man's money but the victim does not yet realize he's been swindled.

2015 December 3, Tracy Alloway, “There's Been a Bezzle-Fueled Boom in Bonds”, in Markets, Bloomberg News, retrieved 2021-08-16:

Uber is a bezzle ("the magic interval when a confidence trickster knows he has the money he has appropriated but the victim does not yet understand that he has lost it"). Every bezzle ends.

2021 August 10, Cory Doctorow, “End of the Line for Uber”, in Pluralistic, Cory Doctorow, retrieved 2021-08-16:

(economics) The time between when a confidence trickster has stolen money from an unsuspecting person and when that person realizes the money has been stolen.


proemptosis

From New Latin proemptōsis, from Ancient Greek προ- (pro-, “before”) + ἔμπτωσις (émptōsis, “falling”).

(historical) The addition of a leap day to the lunar calendar.


multisecond

multisecond oscillations

As Quincy recovered from our one-block adrenaline burst, I gunned all 700 horsepower once more. Even with the pedal to the metal, the Exelero's sheer bulk caused a multisecond lag from the twin-turbo-charged V12's wind-up to actual launch.

2007 January 24, Sue Callaway, “Jonesing for a Maybach”, in CNN:

Spanning, or pertaining to, more than one second.


early childhood

early childhood (usually uncountable, plural early childhoods)

(chiefly uncountable, psychiatry, sociology) A stage in human development, generally including toddlerhood and some time afterwards.

兒童早期 /儿童早期

stage including toddlerhood and some time afterwards


healthspan

healthspans (plural)
health span (alternative)

From health + span, modelled after lifespan.

We now have a glimpse of a future which could include the ultimate conquest of frailty, disease and disability that occurs frequently with aging. […] In short, our goal is not just a longer lifespan but an extended "healthspan," helping a greater number of older Americans lead vigorous, more productive lives with less vulnerability to chronic disease.

1988 May 11, “Opportunities for Aging Research in the Fiscal Year 1989 Budget”, in Advances in Aging Research: Hearing before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, One Hundredth Congress, Second Session […] (Serial No. 100-21; S. Hrg. 100-972), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 18:

[M]illions of Americans are currently spending large amounts of time and money on interventions that they hope will increase their "healthspans"—their periods of healthy life.

1990, David E. Harrison, “Introduction and Predictions”, in David E. Harrison, editor, Genetic Effects on Aging II, Caldwell, N.J.: The Telford Press, →ISBN, page 6:

The evidence is clear. Four life-style factors are linked to a shortened healthspan: (1) eating a poor diet, particularly one high in fat, (2) not getting enough exercise, (3) drinking too much alcohol too often, and (4) smoking. In short, people with these habits become limited and die before their time.

1995, Elizabeth Vierck, “How to Live Longer, Healthier”, in Health Smart: Your Personal Plan to Living Longer and Healthier, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, →ISBN, pages 15–16:

[I]nterest in human biology has actually increased among the general population. This is primarily due to medical discoveries that increase not only lifespan but also healthspan, or the number of years that people live disease free.

2004, Michael Windelspecht, “Series Foreword”, in David Petechuk, edited by Michael Windelspecht, The Respiratory System (Human Body Systems), Westport, Conn.; London: Greenwood Press, →ISBN, page xi:

The better the care we offer and the more customized it is to the needs of the specific pet, the longer our patients will live and the greater their healthspans will be.

2021, Nan Bass, “Opportunities for Pet-specific Care”, in Lowell Ackerman, editor, Pet-specific care for the Veterinary Team, Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley-Blackwell, →ISBN, section 1 (Overview), page 23, column 2:

He develops gene therapies through Butterfly Sciences, a small company he founded, and has been testing a therapy on himself that he believes might extend his life span and, crucially, his “healthspan,” the period when he’s in good physical and mental shape.

2022 January 7, Joe Pinsker, “Some Questions for a Man Who Expects He Could Live to 150”, in The Atlantic:

The lifespans and healthspans of Drosophila reared with WJf, WJDf, GSf, or GSDf were compared with those of Nf-reared Drosophila […] In previous studies, the healthspan of Drosophila was defined at the point at which 50% of the individuals had locomotor ability[…]. Although the healthspan of Nf-reared Drosophila was only 11.9 days, those of GSf-, GSDf-, WJf-, or WJDf-reared Drosophila were extended to 15.6 days (69.6% up), 18.2 days (98.2% up), 15.6 days (69.6% up), or 13.5 days (46.7% up), respectively[…].

2023 January, Linh Xuan Mai [et al.], “An Alkaline Protease-digestion of Silkworm Powder Enhances Its Effects over Healthspan, Autophagy, and Mitochondria Function in a Rotenone-induced Drosophila Model”, in Gorazd Drevenšek, Gang Wang, Mona E. Aboutabl, Zoltan Sarnyai, editors, Nutritional Approaches for Prevention and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases (Frontiers in Nutrition), Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland: Frontiers Media, →DOI, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 128:

The length of time in one's life where one is generally in good health.

terveysikä

length of time in one’s life where one is generally in good health


secle

From Latin saeculum. Compare French siècle. See secular.

If on this principle we calculate back from this first secular epoch preserved in history, the beginning ot the second secle falls U.C. 78.

1845, Barthold Georg Niebuhr, Sir Travers Twiss, Niebuhr's History of Rome - Volumes 1-2, page 55:

Such a secular year therefore was probably the term assigned to the life of the gods, as the natural secle was to the life of man, the secular day to that of nations, the secular week to that of one human race. They taught, as we know historically, that the expiration of each secular day was announced by wonders and signs, intelligible to them. So was the close of every natural secle; ten of which, of unequal length, made up a great day. The signs by which each of these epochs had been foreshewn, were recorded in their history .

1847, Barthold Georg Niebuhr, Leonhard Schmitz, The History of Rome - Volume 1, page 138:

So the haruspex Vulcatius announced that the comet which appeared shortly after the assassination of Julius Cæsar indicated the end of the ninth secle and the beginning of the tenth.

1887, Horace, James Lonsdale, Samuel Lee, The Works of Horace, page 85:

(Ancient Rome) The length of an epoch, believed to be the amount of time that elapsed from the start of one epoch to the time when no one who was alive at that point is still alive (starting at the founding of Rome).


at the latest

We need to make a decision by Friday at the latest.


quincentennium

From New Latin quincentennium (“500-year period”). Compare the classical Latin form quingenti (“500”). Equivalent to quin- (“five”) + centennium (“century, 100-year period”). Cognate with quincentenary and quincentennial.

prefix

And Mr John Graham, editor of The New Shetlander and one of the most articulate ideologues of the 1967 revolution, reinterpreted the problem of “Social Change during the Quincentennium” (1469–1969) accordingly.

1972, Scottish International, V, page 11:

In more leisurely days there were Egyptian millenia^([sic]), Greek and Roman quincentennia, and Spanish, French, and British centuries.

1972, Wilfred Jenks, “Realism and Magnanimity in the Law of Nations”, in The American Journal of International Law, LXVI, № 4 (September 1972), page 316:

(rare) A period of five hundred years, half a millennium.


sidereal day

(astronomy) One day of sidereal time; the time in which Earth rotates once around its axis, relative to the point of the vernal equinox (about 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4 seconds).


stellar day

(astronomy) The rotational period of Earth; the time in which Earth rotates exactly 360 degrees around its axis, measured relative to the stars.

sterrendag

period of one rotation of Earth, measured relative to the stars


Olympiad

Olympiads (plural)
Ol. (alternative)
olympiad (alternative)

Hadrian
International Mathematical Olympiad
Olympiad
Summer Olympics
Winter Olympics
inclusive counting

From the plural forms Olimpiades, Olympiades, and Olympiadiz of Middle English Olimpias and Olympias (“ancient Olympic Games, 4-year period between these games, intense battle or competition”) from Middle French Olympiade and Old French Olympiade (“ancient Olympic games, 4-year period between these games”), from Latin Olympias (“4-year period between Olympic Games”) whose genitive form was Olympiados or Olympiadis), from Ancient Greek Ὀλυμπῐᾰ́ς (Olumpĭắs, “ancient Olympic Games, 4-year period between these games”) whose plural form was Ὀλυμπῐᾰ́δες (Olumpĭắdes), from Ὀλυμπῐ́ᾱ (Olumpĭ́ā, “Olympia”), the town in ancient Greece where the games were held, + -ᾰ́ς (-ắs, a suffix forming feminine adjectives or nouns), from either Ὀλῠ́μπῐος (Olŭ́mpĭos, “of or related to Mount Olympus, Olympian, the Olympian Zeus”) or Ὄλῠμπος (Ólŭmpos, “Mount Olympus”) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, suffix forming feminine abstract nouns).
The use of olympiad for academic competitions aspiring to the level of the Olympic Games was first popularized by the International Mathematical Olympiad, a calque of its Romanian name Olimpiada Internațională de Matematică.

Olimpiade

period between celebrations of the ancient or modern Olympic Games

olympiade

celebration of the ancient or modern Olympic Games

Ancient sources variously dated the founding of Rome to the 38th year before the first Olympiad, the third or fourth year of the sixth Olympiad, the first year of the seventh or eighth Olympiad, or the fourth year of the 12th Olympiad.

Now was bright Hero weary of the day,
Thought an Olympiad in Leanders ſtay.

1598, George Chapman, “Fifth Sestyad”, in Christopher Marlo[w]e, George Chapman, Hero and Leander: […], London: […] A[ugustine] M[atthews] for Richard Hawkins: […], published 1629, →OCLC:

Olympiad. 42. about the yeare of Rome 142. ſhee [the planet Venus] is bigger then all the other ſtarres, and ſo cleare that (ſome-times) her beames make a ſhadowe.

1610, Saint Augustine, “Of Certaine Starres that the Pagans Call Their Gods”, in J[ohn] H[ealey], transl., St. Augustine, of the Citie of God: […], [London]: […] George Eld, →OCLC, book VII, page 274:

Now therefore ſeeing that the firſt yeare of Cyrus his Monarchie (which was the laſt of the ſixtieth Olympiad, and the two hundredth and fortieth yeare from the inſtitution of thoſe games by Iphitus) followed the laſt of the ſeuentie yeares, of the captiuitie of Iuda, and deſolation of the Land of Iſrael; manifeſt it is, that we muſt reckon back thoſe ſeuentie yeares, and one hundred threeſcore and ten yeares more, the laſt which paſſed vnder the Kings of Iuda, to finde the firſt of theſe Olympiads; which by this accompt is the one and fiftieth of Vzzia, as wee haue alreadie noted.

1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh], “Of Vzzia”, in The Historie of the World […], London: […] William Stansby for Walter Burre, […], →OCLC, 1st book, §. V (Of the Olympiads, and the Time when They Beganne), page 576:

The moſt Antient and Renowned Epoch uſed by the Heathens is that of the Olympiads or Olympick Games, which were inſtituted by one Iphitus, in the Fields of Olympia, a City or Town of the Region Elis in the Peloponneſe; and which laſt whereof fell on the Full Moon, which was the next after the Summer Solſtice. Theſe Games were celebrated every four Years, that is, there were three Years between the Years wherein the next preceding and the next following Olympiad was celebrated. Hence by a compleat Olympiad, is denoted the Space of four Years; the Year wherein the Olympiad was celebrated, being ſtiled the firſt Year of the ſaid Olympiad, and ſo on.

1736, Edward Wells, “Of Epoch’s or Æra’s; and Especially of the Æra of Year of Christ, the Æra of the Olympiads, and the Æra of the Building of Rome”, in The Young Gentleman’s Astronomy, Chronology, and Dialling, […], 4th edition, London: […] James, John, and Paul Knapton, […], →OCLC, paragraph 4, pages 64–65:

When he was fourteen, he went to work on the starcher. […] It marked an era. It was a machine Olympiad, a thing to date from.

1911 January, Jack London, “The Apostate”, in When God Laughs and Other Stories, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLC, page 55:

The Games of the XXXII Olympiad is going ahead in Tokyo a year late, despite concerns about coronavirus. […] The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japanese government are pressing ahead with the XXXII Olympiad after it was delayed last summer – albeit in a very different manner from usual.

2021 July 12, Natalie Merchant, “Explainer: The Tokyo Olympics by Numbers”, in World Economic Forum, archived from the original on 2021-08-02:

Emperor Naruhito was caught in a conundrum when it came to wording in his speech in Japanese to declare the 2020 Tokyo Olympics open during the July 23 Opening Ceremony at the National Stadium. […] The official English version for the Tokyo Olympics was: "I declare open the Games of Tokyo celebrating the 32nd Olympiad of the modern era." […] Following discussions among central government officials and the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, it was decided to allow Naruhito to use "kinensuru" for celebrating. The term has more of a nuance of marking or commemorating an important occasion.

2021 July 24, Tatsuro Sugiura, “Emperor in bind over use of ‘celebrate’ for Tokyo Olympiad”, in The Asahi Shimbun, Osaka: The Asahi Shimbun Company, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2021-07-30:

A four-year period, particularly (historical) those based on Hippias's computations of the ancient Olympic Games which placed Coroebus's footrace victory in 776 BCE and (sports) those based on the modern Summer Olympic Games first held in 1896.


triduan

From Latin triduanus, from triduum (“space of three days”).

1810 January—June, The Universal Magazine, New Series, Volume XIII, page 103,
The diurnal or triduan prints are too expensive for every individual, and in consequence the weekly ones have been established; […] .


time-poor

en-adj

time-poor (comparative more time-poor, superlative most time-poor)

more time-poor (comparative)
most time-poor (superlative)

Not having enough time to do things one wishes to do.

時間緊的 /时间紧的

not having enough time to do things one wishes to do


high time

en-noun

high time (countable and uncountable, plural high times)

"But it is high time for me to have done with the argument, as it is to be judged of according to scripture evidence."

1729, John Norman, God's Foreknowledge of contingent Events vindicated, page 27:

"I will await no longer," said Lindesay; "it is high time the business were done."

1820, Sir Walter Scott, chapter 21, in The Abbot:

I thought it was high time, now or never, before the light was put out, to break the spell in which I had so long been bound.

1851, Herman Melville, chapter 3, in Moby Dick:

"But I haven't ridden for years."
"Then it's high time you began again."

1922, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 22, in Right Ho, Jeeves:

It is high time to cease sensationalism and war mongering, pause and think twice about where we are heading.

2006 May 9, Hassan Rohani, “Iran's Nuclear Program: The Way Out”, in Time:

(uncountable, idiomatic) A point in time at which something is considered to be utterly due or even overdue to occur; well past time.

hoog tijd

point in time at which something is utterly due


half-year

half-years (plural)
halfyear (alternative)
half year (alternative)

The report for the half-year ended December 31st states that the gross earnings of the half-year are Rs.8,72,854 less, the working expenses Rs.1o,41,28o more, and the net earnings Rs.19,14,134 less than those of the corresponding halfyear of 1904.

1906, The Investor's Monthly Manual - Volume 36 - Page 381

The period of time equal to half a year; normally referred to as 6 months, but a half-year is more exactly 182.5 days (without a leap day)


microcentury

From micro- (“1 millionth”) + century (“100 years”).

prefix

After fifty minutes (one microcentury as von Neumann used to say) everybody's attention will turn elsewhere even if we are trying to prove the Riemann hypothesis.

1997, Gian-Carlo Rota, “Ten Lessons I Wish I Had Been Taught”, in Indiscrete Thoughts, Springer Science & Business Media, published 2008, →ISBN, page 197:

Translate: I was caught in such a traffic jam that I needed a microcentury for a picoparsec and that my car’s fuel consumption was two tenths of a square millimetre.

2014, Christoph Schiller, Motion Mountain, edition 27.06, volume IV, page 204:

(humorous) A unit of time equal to one millionth of a century or approximately one hour (52 minutes and 35.8 seconds).


bottom of the hour

en-noun

bottom of the hour (plural bottoms of the hour or bottoms of the hours)

bottoms of the hour (plural)
bottoms of the hours (plural)

Refers to the time when the position of the long hand is pointing toward the number 6, or exactly halfway between the preceding hour and the upcoming one.

At seven o'clock, he said to get in touch with him again at the bottom of the hour, so I called him back at seven thirty.

The time at (or very close to) half the next hour of time.


a hair past a freckle

"What time is it?" she said.¶ "A hair past a freckle," he said, pretending to look at his wrist.

1987, Joan Silber, In the City, New York: Penguin Books, published 1988, →ISBN, page 91:

Eddie cocked his elbow and looked at his watch-less wrist. "A hair past a freckle, Eastern Elbow Time," he said. He gave Mrs. Marvelle his goofy grin.

1994, Terry & Wayne Baltz, The Invisible Kid and the Killer Cat, Fort Collins: Prairie Divide Productions, →ISBN, page 85:

I bussed it to The New Fruiton Times building and arrived at a hair past a freckle. I don't own a watch either.

2006, Jeff House, Writing Is Dialogue, Norwood: Christopher-Gordon, →ISBN, page 178:

"What time it is?"^([sic]) Jim looked at his empty wrist and said, "Just a hair past a freckle."

2010, Alan Call, The Warf-A-Tron Report, Xlibris, →ISBN:

"What time is it?" the guy asked, looking at his wrist and seeming disappointed to discover that he didn't have on a watch.¶ Eamon thought he'd help by looking at his own watch, but his was gone, too. "It's a hair past a freckle, apparently."

2011, Adrianne Byrd, King's Passion, New York: Kimani Press, →ISBN, pages 42–43:

He looked at his left wrist, as if there were a watch there. Scott Shamwell never wears a watch, and yet he always does this when time of day is at issue. I always point out that he isn't wearing a watch, and he always says "So? I can see that it's half a hair past a freckle." This makes me laugh, so we do it every time.

2016, Craig Lancaster, Edward Unspooled, Billings: Missouri Breaks Press, →ISBN, page 222:

(humorous) Said when asked the time, humorously indicating that one does not know or does not care to check, or that one is not wearing a wristwatch and that nothing is to be seen on the wrist but hairs and freckles.


muhurta

(Hinduism) A unit of time measurement in the Hindu calendar, approximately 48 minutes.


septennium

septennium (plural septenniums or septennia)

From Late Latin septennium, from septennis (“7-year”) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns).

It might be sufficient to answer, that, of the septennium required for the arts degree in the old system the greater portion is now spent at school.

1868, Mark Pattison, Suggestions on Academical Organisation with Especial Reference to Oxford, section VI: “Of the Studies Preliminary to the Degree”, § 4: ‘Liberal Studies (Arts) and Special Studies (Science)’, page 265


T-minus

(aerospace) Specifies the remaining time until some future event such as a takeoff or encounter commences.


uchronia

From French uchronie, formed (after utopia) from Ancient Greek οὐ (ou, “not”) + Ancient Greek χρόνος (khrónos, “time”) + -ia.

af

Mercier's resort to uchronia, on the other hand, initiates a new paradigm for utopian literature not only by setting action in a specific future chronologically connected to our past and present but even more crucially by characterizing that future as one belonging to progress and thus linked causally if not immediately to the reader's time.

1987, Paul K. Alkon, Origins of Futuristic Fiction, page 127:

For Portelli, uchronia comprises 'that amazing scene in which the author imagines what would have happened if a certain historical event had not taken place'.

2007, Andy Wood, The 1549 Rebellions and the Making of Early Modern England, page 211:

This uchronia actually exerted some influence in its time, converting many readers to socialism because they wanted to live in the world of Bellamy's vision.

2011, Lealand B Yeager, Is the Market a Test of Truth and Beauty?, page 389:

An idealized or fictional conception of a particular period of time, especially in the past.


banner year

1965 was a banner year for the company; it produced a million widgets for the first time.

The year just closed has been the banner year for New-Hampshire Home Missions. The amount raised for the cause is $505,38 more than ever was raised before in any one year.

1853, New-Hampshire Missionary Society, “Annual Report of the Trustees of the New Hampshire Missionary Society, Volumes 50-57”, in Annual Report of the Trustees of the New Hampshire Missionary Society, volume 53, Steam power press of McFarland & Jenks, page 16:

An especially good year; a year of exceptional production.


quarter-hour

These bells chime on the quarter-hour.

(time) quarter of an hour; period of time equal to 15 minutes; a quarter.


timesome

en-adj

timesome (comparative more timesome, superlative most timesome)

more timesome (comparative)
most timesome (superlative)


darwin

Named after Charles Darwin, coined by J.B.S. Haldane in 1949.

One darwin (d) equals the rate of evolution that would produce a change in size by a factor of approximately 2.7 in one million years.

1999, J. William Schopf, Evolution!: Facts and Fallacies, page 50:

The rate of evolutionary change in a species' wing or leg or beak (remember Darwin's finches mentioned in Chapter 1?) is assessed in degree-of-physical-change units called darwins.

2003, Donald Mitchell, The 2,000 Percent Solution, page 243:

For instance, gradual change is relatively common in vertebrates (about .08 darwins), though some rapidly evolving vertebrates lineages show rates as high as 10 darwins, over short periods.

2010, Sahotra Sarkar, Anya Plutynski, A Companion to the Philosophy of Biology, page 177:

evolutionary biology
evolutionary biology

A unit of evolutionary change in evolutionary biology.


procrastination is the thief of time

Jim: Have you started looking for a job yet?
Jane: Oh, that can wait till tomorrow.
Jim: Procrastination is the thief of time.

If one puts off doing what one ought to do, one will end up not having enough time to do it properly.


expiry date

The expiry date of my debit card is the 30th of April.

You'd better throw that milk out: it's passed the expiry date.

(UK) The date on which something runs out or expires and becomes out of date, in many cases needing renewal.


en-proverb

if you can't do the time, don't do the crime

From do time (“to serve a prison sentence”).

One should not carry out an action if one is unwilling to handle the consequences.


time-use

The time-use diary is a challenging data collection instrument and many time-use studies utilise one or two diary days.

2006, Cheryl Potgieter, Renay Pillay, Sharmla Rama, Women, Development and Transport in Rural Eastern Cape, South Africa:


term day

A day which is a term (as for payment of rent), or is a day in a term, as of the sitting of a court.


epagomena

From the neuter plural of Ancient Greek ἐπαγόμενος (epagómenos, “added on”), used by Greek writers of antiquity to describe the five epagomenal days of the calendar of the Egyptians.

der

[The Ancient Egyptian calendar had] 12 months each 30 days long followed by five epagomenal days.

1997, Leo Depuyt, Civil Calendar and Lunar Calendar in Ancient Egypt, Peeters, page 57:

(rare) Time (usually five days) appended to a calendar year, outside of any regular month, to make the year 365 days long (in e.g. the ancient Egyptian calendar and in the French Republican calendar).

a month inserted into a calendar year to synchronize the calendar with the seasons

timekeeping adjustments to synchronize a calendar with a solar year and


donkey's

I knew Bogs, like, that's how I got this job, knew him for donkey's, but didny work for him.

2012, John Callaghan, My Name Is Never Was, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 319:

'Known her for donkey's. Why –got your eye on her?'

2015, Anthony Quinn, Curtain Call, Random House, →ISBN:

Site's been closed for donkey's, but CCTV's got Merrick heading in there at 1.35 p.m.

2015, Sarah Hilary, No Other Darkness (DI Marnie Rome 2), Hachette UK, →ISBN:


time thief

Genie is also an invaluable asset when gabbing on the telephone which can really be a time thief since it's so easy to lose track of time when lost in deep conversation with another.

2006, Don Boyer, The Power of Mentorship, Real Life Teaching/Publishing, →ISBN, page 137:

In fact, anything we do just to kill time—even essentially healthy activities like reading, chatting on the phone, or completing a sudoku puzzle—becomes a time thief.

2008, Jan Silvious, Smart Girls Think Twice: Making Wise Choices When It Counts, Thomas Nelson, →ISBN, page 61:

Trying to change our basic nature is difficult at best, and struggling against it is a time thief.

2014, Ana Weber, 360 Degrees of Success: Money, Relationships, Energy, Time: The 4 Essential Ingredients to Create Personal and Professional Success in Your Life, Morgan James Publishing, →ISBN, page 141:

(informal, idiomatic) Something or someone that consumes an inordinate amount of time, especially without achieving anything productive.


time burglar

Hey, TV can be a great source of learning, information, and keeping your kids occupied, but if your priorities are shifting and you want to grow out of your current life and into a new one, it's a time burglar […]

2012, Nick O'Kelly, Patrick Schulte, Live on the Margin: Learn to Love Risk, Profit from Fear, and Retire Tomorrow, Two Old Goats Publishing, →ISBN:

Being a social climber was more of a time burglar than having a ghost twin sister.

2013, Sandra Thompson, The Ghostly Grammar Boy, →ISBN:

That's when it hits me that Brunswick is a time burglar.
Specifically, she's stealing my time with her inane questions and now she is my nemesis.

2015, Jen Lancaster, I Regret Nothing: A Memoir, New American Library, →ISBN:


time bandit

The telephone can be as much of a time bandit as the drop-in visitor.

1983, Mark Porter, The Time of Your Life, Victor Books, →ISBN, page 101:

Perfectionism is a time bandit that can rob you of extra time, lead you away from your priorities, and create emotional stress.

2005, J. Allen Queen, Patsy S. Queen, The Frazzled Principal's Wellness Plan: Reclaiming Time, Managing Stress, and Creating a Healthy Lifestyle, Corwin Press, →ISBN, page 88:

Every member of the department can identify somebody inside or outside the department who is a time bandit: a person who is stealing their precious time.

2012, David Stam, Andrew Scott, Inside Magazine Publishing, Routledge, published 2014, →ISBN, page 124:


time porn

The characters of "Seinfeld" wallow obscenely in unscheduled time, as did the characters on "Cheers," probably the mother of all time-porn shows.

1994 May 23, Colin McEnroe, “Time porn”, in The Spokesman-Review:

Why the immense popularity of TV shows like Cheers, Seinfeld, and Mad About You? Because the characters never seem to do anything but hang out. They lure us through "time porn," the tease of a life with enough time and leisure for the friendships that we all covet and know we need but don't seem to make a priority.

1996, Leonard I. Sweet, The Jesus Prescription for a Healthy Life, Abingdon Press, →ISBN, page 38:

Who wants to have other people comment on your obsessive fifteen-hour viewathons of time-porn TV shows (where you ogle people with free time like other generations ogled flesh); […]

1997, Matthew Branton, The Love Parade, Hamish Hamilton, →ISBN, page 105:

(informal) Media, especially television shows, which depict people enjoying unrealistic amounts of free time.


postprandially

This dose resulted in a TAZ of 11 mg when administered to healthy adults as an aqueous solution postprandially with little being achieved by administering greater amounts[…].

2015 June, Cuong D. Tran, Geetha L. Gopalsamy, Elissa K. Mortimer, Graeme P. Young, “The Potential for Zinc Stable Isotope Techniques and Modelling to Determine Optimal Zinc Supplementation”, in Nutrients, volume 7, number 6, →DOI, pages 4271–4295:

In a postprandial manner; after a meal; especially, after dinner.


in season

Morel mushrooms are only in season for a few weeks in spring.


dayslong

When the flower’s skirt began to unfurl on Tuesday night, it was the end of a dayslong vigil followed throughout the city via a live-video feed called the StinkyCam.

2015 August 21, Julie Turkewitz, “Thousands Stop to Smell a Flower (and Hope Not to Gag)”, in New York Times:


timeband

So we divide the day into 15-minute timebands, and look at the options in each of these. Within each timeband we assume the demand is concentrated on the midpoint; for example, at 05:38 in the 05:30-05:45 timeband.

2000, Anthony Ingold, Ian Yeoman, Una McMahon-Beattie, Yield Management, page 101:

A fixed period of time representing a division of the day or night.


weekslong

Across the West, crops rotted for the second summer in a row this year because of a weekslong shutdown of visa processing for seasonal farm workers caused by State Department computer problems.

2015 September 15, Roberto Suro, “Where to Go for Real Immigration Reform”, in New York Times:

This summer, Yining, a city in the Xinjiang region of far-western China, celebrated a boom of Chinese tourists seeking a sunny respite from Covid worries in their hometowns. Now Yining is under its own grueling, weekslong pandemic lockdown, with residents calling for help over limited food, difficulty getting medicines and drastic shortages of sanitary pads for women.

2022 September 11, Chris Buckley, “Just Bread and Noodles: China’s Covid Lockdown Distress Hits Xinjiang”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-09-11, ASIA PACIFIC:


proper time

(relativity) Time as measured by a clock following a timelike world line.


freeze-up

(seasons, time) The start of the time when surface waters are frozen over.


trigintennial

From Latin triginta (“thirty”) + -ennial, combining adjectival form of annus (“year”). Compare the actual Latin term tricennium.

(uncommon) Synonym of tricennial, once every thirty years.


multisecular

en-adj

multisecular (comparative more multisecular, superlative most multisecular)

more multisecular (comparative)
most multisecular (superlative)

From multi- (“many”) + secular (“of or related to centuries”).

prefix

[…] the multisecular stability of its primeval basin […]

1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 17: Ithaca]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC, part III [Nostos], page 624:

(rare, academic) Of or related to a span of several centuries, centuries-old.


clock is ticking

Near-synonym: tick-tock (interjection)

I have the feeling that even while the clock is ticking we are moving on to terrible things.

1922, E. Phillips Oppenheim, chapter 2, in The Great Prince Shan:

The clock is ticking for Mikhail Gorbachev too. Of all the failures of political and economic theory in this century, the Soviet failure is the most spectacular.

1986 April 23, James Reston, “Washington The Ticking Clock”, in New York Times, retrieved 2015-12-22:

"We know the clock is ticking, and the longer it takes us to find the person who has been kidnapped, the less likely the case is to have a successful outcome."

2006 February 19, Alasdair Palmer, “‘We know the clock is ticking. Kidnap is a murder waiting to happen’”, in Telegraph, UK, retrieved 2015-12-22:

The clock is ticking. And with every tick, the Trudeau government’s goal of bringing 25,000 refugees from the Middle East to Canada by the end of the year grows more improbable.

2015 November 12, John Ibbitson, “Politics notebook: Clock is ticking for Trudeau to resettle 25,000 refugees”, in Globe and Mail, Canada, retrieved 2015-12-22:

(idiomatic, almost always preceded by the and often followed by for) Time is running out; a deadline is approaching.

l'horloge tourne

time is running out; a deadline is approaching


decennal

From Latin decennālis (“decennial”), from decennis (“10-year”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjective-forming suffix), from decem (“ten”) + annus (“year”) + -is (suffix forming compound adjectives). Equivalent to decennium + -al.

They... appointed Archons, or Decennall Governors, that is, one Prince for ten years.

1648, Marchamont Nedham, Plea for the King and Kingdome..., page 26:

(obsolete) Synonym of decennial, of or related to a 10-year period.


decennalian

From Latin decennalis (“decennial”) + -ian, from decennium (“10-year period”) + -alis (“-al: forming adjectives”), from decem (“ten”) + annus (“year”).

(obsolete) Synonym of decennial, of or related to a ten-year period.


decenniad

(uncommon) Synonym of decade: a period of 10 years.


train time

(rail transport, often plural) The time when a scheduled passenger train departs or arrives according to the timetable.


local time

en-noun

local time (countable and uncountable, plural local times)

The race starts at 15.00 local time on Saturday.

The official time in a particular region or time zone.


childtime

He was somehow reminded of his childtime with Susanne.

1936, Frederick Stallknecht Wight, The Chronicle of Aaron Kane:

In the last hour of his childtime, […]

2011, Michael R. Collings, Som Certaine Sonets, Revised and Enlarged Edition:


chronoception

/ˌkɹɒnəʊˈsɛpʃn̩/

From chrono- (prefix meaning ‘time’) + -ception.

confix

For example, modern training methods of track runners include efforts to develop awareness of "tempo," a quality which may be named "chronoception."

1968, Ernst Jokl, The Physiological Basis of Athletic Records, page 78:

While chronoception is typically not listed with the more traditional senses, we should consider including it.

2013, Phillip Vannini, Dennis Waskul, Simon Gottschalk, The Senses in Self, Society, and Culture: A Sociology of the Senses, page 165:

(physiology) The perception or sense of time.


first of never

Based on a date of the month and day, as in first of February.

since the first of never

on the first of never

(idiomatic, slang) A nonexistent day; a day that will never come.


timequake

Or you can have a revisable universe with one timeline (see Hogan's Thrice Upon a Time or Milennium^([sic]) by (I think) Joe Haldeman for the general idea) and in which your actions can "rewrite" the past from that point on. Here, if you shoot your grandfather, you generate a "timequake" in which something ugly happens. Probably you disappear, but there may be other side-effects as the universe works it out, which is, I think, what you are reffering^([sic]) to as the "great expense".

1996 November 16, Mike Abernathy, “Re: faster than light travel”, in sci.physics.electromag (Usenet), message-ID <56la8t$5@sjx-ixn2.ix.netcom.com>:

Finding herself in the middle of a “timequake,” she discovers another world—an alternate universe. Will Mary find a way to return to the world she left?

2008, Deanna J. McDaniel, Gentle Reads: Great Books to Warm Hearts and Lift Spirits, Grades 5-9, ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, page 217:

(science fiction) A disturbance in the flow of time.


earlycomer

Indeed, thrombus composition in latecomers presents more lytic and organized areas than in earlycomers and the presence of an old thrombus is associated with a higher incidence of distal embolization […]

2014, Nicholas Kipshidze, Jawed Fareed, Robert T. Rosen, Urgent Interventional Therapies:

One who arrived early, or earlier than others.


Chitrabaanu

The sixteenth year of the 60-year cycle of the Tamil calendar.


time twin

(astrology) Either of two people born at the same time on the same day and thus supposed to have similar traits or life events.


modern history

The history of the world beginning after the Middle Ages.


preprandially

In a preprandial manner; before a meal, especially dinner.


Copper Age

(archaeology) A short or theoretical prehistoric period between the Neolithic and Bronze Age.


tetraeteris

tetraeterides (plural)
tetraeterid (alternative)

From Late Latin tetraeteris, from Ancient Greek τετραετηρίς (tetraetērís), from τετρα- (tetra-, “four”) + ἔτος (étos, “year”).

Synonym of quadrennium: A four-year period, particularly (historical) those used in ancient Egyptian and Greek astronomical calculations.


tetraeterid

Alternative form of tetraeteris: A four-year period, particularly (historical) those used in ancient Egyptian and Greek astronomical calculations.


Earth day

(science fiction) A day in Earth time; the period it takes planet Earth to revolve once; a period of 24 hours.


timelore

time-lore (alternative)
time lore (alternative)

That's a minimum of 2,592,000 years ago, assuming we are almost at the end of the Kaliyuga (the worst of four yugas and an age of darkness), and we calculate only up to the end of the Satyayuga, which itself lasted 1,728,000 years, according to Vedic timelore.

2006, Richard Leviton, The Geomantic Year:

Alchemic Yin-Yang Five Phase cosmology came into mainland Japan in the sixth century and, along with the lunar calendar, this complex of time lore has structured the temporal aspects of Shinto ritual practice ever since.

2007, E. Leslie Williams, Spirit Tree: Origins of Cosmology in Shintô Ritual at Hakozaki:

This is the part of the course which I teach. It is the most complex of all the manipulation skills we teach and the one most students fail to complete. These three elements will combine to form your study of Timelore during the three years you spend with us.

2009, James Roberts, Samuel Deksis and the Castle of the Kings:

(rare, nonstandard) the knowledge or study of time; chronology


time crystal

Coined by American physicist Frank Wilczek in 2012. An extension of the concept of a crystal to encompass time.

(quantum mechanics) A crystal that has a structure that repeats not only in space, but also in time.


wedding day

wedding days (plural)
wedding-day (alternative dated)

The day or date when a couple weds each other, initiating marriage.


“Now, let’s consider what our competition did in the same six-week period,” wrote Betsy Ankney, Haley’s campaign manager. “Donald Trump had a good Q1, if you count being indicted as ‘good.'"

2023 April 11 [2023 April 10], Sarah Elbeshbishi, quoting Betsy Ankney, “Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley slams Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis in campaign letter”, in USA Today, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-04-12:

The first quarter of a calendar year (January, February and March).


Sweetgreen told CNN the company was “proud to share that we are currently in the process of rolling out new PFAS-free focaccia bags that will be available in all Sweetgreen locations by the end of Q2.”

2022 March 25, Sandee LaMotte, “Dangerous chemicals found in food wrappers at major fast-food restaurants and grocery chains, report says”, in CNN:

The second quarter of a calendar year (April, May and June).


The fourth and final quarter of a calendar year (October, November and December).

The fourth and final quarter of a financial year.


The third quarter of a calendar year (July, August and September)


whenevs

Problem solved. You can thank me now. Or later. Whenevs.

2016, Richard Clark, Goldfish Fingers (The ZhuZhus), spoken by Chunk (Robert Tinkler):


to the end of time

The man who has gone around the cocktail circuit pounding cheerios to the end of time did not come in here and open his mouth once on the Bill.

1978, New Zealand. Parliament. House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates, page 4230:


time alone will tell

(idiomatic) Alternative form of time will tell.


last-time

It was the possibly-last-time visit, and we really didn't have anything to say to each other beyond the amenities of my asking if she was comfortable and her expressing concern that I looked tired.

1976, Pat Watters, The angry middle-aged man, page 7:

With the expectation of a few months of life, I'm aware that everything — from the turning of the seasons, to holidays, birthdays, and special occasions, is probably for me, a last-time experience.

1996, Pat McNees, Dying: A Book of Comfort, →ISBN, page 105:

“We have seen that one before so I don't want to sit with you tonight again.” I had intended it as a friendly last-time get-together, but he said, "I saw Charlie Chaplin and 'The Immigrant' before."

2008, Satsvarūpa Dāsa Gosvāmī, Under Dark Stars, →ISBN, page 125:

"Ironically, HIV/AIDS can also pull at each of us with the same choke-chain force, reminding us of how precious life is; calling us to experience every moment to its fullest," Cyndie wrote. "It can be scary. It can sometimes feel that some of our life experiences may indeed be last-time experiences...

2014, Michael Saag, Positive: One Doctor's Personal Encounters with Death, Life, and the US Healthcare System, →ISBN:

Happening for the last time; doing something for the last time.


momentless

Occurring without reference to time; without moments.


head

never put off until tomorrow what you can do today

Near-synonyms: he who hesitates is lost, procrastination is the thief of time, there's no time like the present

Do not procrastinate whatever that can be done today until tomorrow.

kdo zaváhá, nežere

do not procrastinate whatever can be done today until tomorrow

was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen

nie odkładaj na jutro tego, co możesz zrobić dzisiaj

nikóly ne vidkladáj na závtra te, ščo móžeš zrobýty sʹohódni

ніко́ли не відклада́й на за́втра те, що мо́жеш зроби́ти сього́дні


Monight

Mr. Taylor reported that at 7:30, instead of on Tuesday night at the banquet would be held on Monight.

1917, American Bottler, volume 37, kJlRAAAAYAAJ, page 40:

The Chicago White Sox opened with a 4-3 win over Oakland on Monight, and the goals for the season are keeping things loose and winning more baseball games.

2016, “Chicago Whitesox News, Scores, Highlights, Schedule and More”, in Daily Herald:

The launch party was held, at Thomas's at Burberry Regent Street on Monight evening in London, England.

2016, “Lily James Wearing Burberry At The 'My Burberry Black' Fragrance”, in Celebrity Glam Cam:

(rare, nonstandard) Monday evening or night.


Tuesnight

On the tenth month the woman does not escape with her life if the bairn is not born, since it turns in the belly to a deadly disorder, and oftenest on Tuesnight.

1866, Thomas Oswald Cockayne, Leechdoms, wortcunning, and starcraft of early England: Being a collection. (Anglo-Saxons), UNU9AAAAcAAJ:

Audiences will learn which couples will advance to next week's semifinals on Tuesnight's show.

2011, “Ward impresses judges on 'Dancing with the Stars'”, in The Blade:

Global dairy prices rose more than 3% on Tuesnight, the largest rise since last September.

2013, “Daily auction prices up”, in Radio New Zealand News:

On Tuesnight he had written, “Muir Woods National Monument?”

2014, Elizabeth Fama, Plus One (Young Adult Fiction), →ISBN, page 75:

Harris will be without the suspended Ed Upson on Tuesnight and Shaun Williams and Shaun Cummings are also out.

2015, “Millwall’s David Forde says match against Blackburn is a must-win”, in The Guardian:

(rare, nonstandard) Tuesday evening or night


Wednesnight

On Wednesnight, a little before eleven o'clock, a shock of an earthquake was very sensibly felt by most of the inhabitants of this town, and in all the adjoining counties, and occasioned considerable alarm.

1795, The Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure, volumes 96–97 (English literature), nZ5FAQAAMAAJ:

Scording to dispatches from Pittsburgh $100,000 worth opium and other drugs was seized there on Wednesnight.

1916, Drug & Chemical Markets, volume 3 (Drugs), qn9Hda0UlGcC, page 7:

Henry K. Hadley also attend the festival in the capacity of luctor, but of his work we shall speak T. aint-Saëns's “Samson and Delilah” the work selected for the open concert, which transpired on Wednesnight.

1917, Musical America, volume 26 (Music), Gk80AQAAMAAJ, page 1:

On Wednesnight he had written, “Gah! So many lighthouses in the world!” and he had drawn a picture of himself hanging by the neck, with x's in place of his eyes.

(rare, nonstandard) Wednesday evening or night


Thursnight

The basketball candidates were out on Thursnight, January 6.

1914, High School Life, volume 15 (School yearbooks), zhtFAQAAMAAJ, page 283:

On Thursnight, I wrote the number 4 and drew—as best I could from memory—the half-sunken hull of the Francisco Morazan as 75.

A tweet by All India Radio targeting Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for his Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh remarks kicked up a row on Thursnight with Congress dubbing it as "unpardonable" and "shameful", and asking Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu whether the public broadcaster was being allowed to propagate the saffron agenda.

2016, “IR Draws Flak for Anti-Rahul Gandhi Tweet, Deletes It”, in News18.com:

(rare, nonstandard) Thursday evening or night


Frinight

The Astrological Institute held its annual meeting at the Memorial Hall, London, on Frinight, under the presidency of Mr Bishop-Culpepper.

1899 February 11, ““Rulers of the Heavens.” Important Information as to When to Be Born.”, in The Gloucestershire Echo:

Rain, muggy weather, high wind, all naturally have disturbing effect. The result of the wind storm on Frinight was that the general air of durable anticipation which pervades Metropolitan under ordinary conditions, especially when a new work is produced, was absent.

1916, Musical America, volume 25 (Music), I0c0AQAAMAAJ, page 7:

At 6 p.m. on Frinight, children participate in a beautiful Children's Lantern Parade.

2010, Christine O'Toole, Fun with the Family Pennsylvania: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids (Travel), →ISBN:

Friendly staff, good ambience and occasional live music on Frinight.

2014, Richard Arghiris, Costa Rica Footprint Focus Guide: Includes Península de Osa, Tortuguero (Travel), →ISBN:

I figured out that you had written it on Frinight. Plus”—he laughed—“everything was weirdly shaded, like it was lit by the moon.”

2014, Elizabeth Fama, Plus One (Young Adult Fiction), →ISBN, page 231:

The upstairs nightclub specialises in reggae on Frinight, and more chilled dance sounds on Saturday and Sunday.

2016, Philip Briggs, Sean Connolly, Ghana:, →ISBN, page 216:

(rare, nonstandard) Friday evening or night


Saturnight

Gatti's series of promenade concerts closed on Saturnight with a special performance for their benefit.

1879 October 11, “Covent Garden Promenade Concerts”, in The Illustrated London News, London (England), B5xQAAAAYAAJ, page 343:

But a friend of the family on Saturnight said they felt unable to say a "proper goodbye" because the hospice Charlie was transferred to had been unable to supply the equipment and team of medics Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) insisted was necessary to prolong his life.

2017, “Charlie Gard: Parents could not say goodbye properly”, in IOL News:

For ages people party on Saturnights, its^([sic]) the night to get out and get all wet and wild, forget about everything and step into our world of musical pleasure ...

2017, “Versuz on Saturnight”, in iceseven.tv:

(rare, nonstandard) Saturday evening or night.


Sunnight

My talk went well, discussing the reasons why pagans can’t seem to form stable groups and I drove home late on Sunnight.

2005, “Diary of a Journeyman by journeyman”, in Digital Expressions:

A solo shot by Tanner Witt was all the Rockford Aviators needed as they snapped a four-game losing streak and avoided the sweep by the Southern Illinois Miners on Sunnight, winning 1-0.

2014, “Baseball: Tanner Witt's homer carries Rockford Aviators to win”, in rrstar.com:

In another incident, an RSS worker was injured on Sunnight when he was attacked by some unidentified persons at Pandalam in Pathanamthitta district, the police said.

2017, “7 held in Kerala RSS worker’s killing; another hurt in attack”, in The Hitavada:

(rare, nonstandard) Sunday evening or night


tenday

They're confident of having the main walls complete in just under ten tendays.

1993, Vernor Vinge, A Fire Upon The Deep, page 284:


timeskip

From time + skip, cf. Japanese 時とばし (toki tobashi).

Akira Toriyama uses a timeskip to rejoin us with Gokū and friends in Dragon Ball Chapter 113, three years after Gokū leaves Uranai Baba's Palace for his global trek.

2016, Derek Padula, Dragon Ball Culture Volume 5: Demons, Derek Padula, →ISBN, page 8:

(fandom slang) An instance of fast-forwarding a substantial amount of time, such as years or decades, as a narrative device in a story, quickly aging characters and developing events.

Now I got one "Corrupted"-file which I erased and the next song had a timeskip. Player just informed me "Skip" and jumped some 10-15 seconds forwards.

2001 January 1, Aake Kinnunen, “Nomad 2 MG memory glitch?”, in creative.products.nomad (Usenet):

Any case of something jumping ahead in time.


quinquenniad

From Latin quinquennis (“5-year”) + -ad.

(now rare) Synonym of quinquennium: A 5-year period.


xennial

I was born in 1980. According to some sources, this makes me a Gen Xer. According to others, I’m a Millennial. That makes me what then, a Xennial? I take online quizzes, like Pew Research Center’s “How Millennial Are You?”, and land dead between Gen X and Millennial due to my personal habits, body piercings, and so many more reasons.

2014 September 25, Sarah Stankorb, “Glad to be a Xennial”, in GOOD:

Xennial is a term that I first used in a 2014 story for GOOD magazine, following on the heels of writers like Doree Shafrir, who in 2011 called this cusp generation’s pop-cultural misfit status Generation Catalano, after crowdsourcing the My So-Called Life–inspired term from Danielle Nussbaum on Twitter.

2017 July 6, Sarah Stankorb, “I Made Up Xennial 3 Years Ago, So Why Is a Professor in Australia Getting All the Credit?”, in Vogue:

But there's this new group, you may know them — that microgeneration sandwiched between — who feel like they don't really belong to either group […] Love it or hate it, there's a newish name for these lost souls: the "xennials" (pronounced ZEE-knee-als).

2017 November 10, Dwight Adams, “You're a xennial — if you're caught between Generation X and millennials”, in Indianapolis Star:

I’m a reluctant millennial myself (or possibly — God forbid — an xennial), stuck in the pretty common category of not identifying with my so-called generation.

2023 April 20, Casey Schwartz, “Jean Twenge is ready to make you defend your generation again”, in The Washington Post:

Oregon Trail Generation
Oregon Trail Generation

(informal) A person born late in Generation X or early in Generation Y, that is, sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s; a member of the Oregon Trail Generation.


beard-second

(humorous) A unit of length about the distance beard hair grows in one second: defined as five nanometers, or 10 nm according to some.


sidereal month

The time in which the moon passes round the ecliptic to the same star: 27.3217 days.


hot minute

She decided to pop up on her big brother because it had been a hot minute since she'd seen him.

2013, Caroline McGill, A Dollar Outta Fifteen Cent, →ISBN, page 209:

(informal, idiomatic) A long period of time.

It didn't take but a hot minute to find out what squadron Craig was with.

2000, Eric Jerome Dickey, Cheaters, →ISBN:

She didn't trust me for a hot minute, but she trusted her perfect eldest child.

2012, Michelle Hodkin, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, →ISBN:

Very cool could easily turn into very rude in a hot minute.

2014, Ray Mack, Underestimated: a searcher's story, →ISBN, page 163:

Too bad he considered me a suspect, because I'd be all over that in a hot minute. Okay, probably not. But I'd flirt a lot.

2016, Shéa MacLeod, The Corpse in the Cabana:

Not for a hot minute did she think it changed her inability to have lasting love.

2017, Julie Ann Walker, Hot Pursuit, →ISBN:

(informal, idiomatic) An extremely short period of time; a moment.

Whatever happened to that guy Michael you dated for a hot minute way back in the stone age?

2010, Terry McMillan, Getting to Happy, →ISBN, page 138:

We might be in Montana—but, no, that's wrong. We spent time in Montana a month ago. After a few days we have to move. We settled in Oregon for a hot minute, figured it was a good place for disappearing, but one morning we woke to find footprints in the gravel around our rented cabin.

2011, Victor LaValle, Big Machine, →ISBN:

Still, it was always nice to run into each other in the supermarkets or restaurants and talk for a hot minute.

2012, Cholly Atkins, Jacqui Malone, Class Act: The Jazz Life of Choreographer Cholly Atkins, →ISBN, page 89:

At least Dexter can spell and sounds like he went to a junior college for a hot minute.

2013, Terry McMillan, Who Asked You?, →ISBN, page 71:

(informal, idiomatic) An unspecified period of time; a while.


red-hot minute

“Just a red-hot minute!” Tim darted between her and the raging teenager.

2011, Hannah Alexander, Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Season of Danger: Silent Night, Deadly Night\Mistletoe Mayhem, →ISBN:

Somewhere behind the navy sky the Cairns ships hung in gravity-defying non-orbit, in any emergency a screaming red-hot minute away.

2012, Ken MacLeod, Engine City: Engines of Light, →ISBN:

I didn't buy their version of things for a red-hot minute.

2013, Ellen Kanner, Feeding the Hungry Ghost: Life, Faith, and what to Eat for Dinner, →ISBN:

(time) Synonym of hot minute (“an extremely short period of time”); a moment.


stall for time

en-verb

stall for time (third-person singular simple present stalls for time, present participle stalling for time, simple past and past participle stalled for time)

stalls for time (present singular third-person)
stalling for time (participle present)
stalled for time (participle past)
stalled for time (past)

(idiomatic) To intentionally cause a delay; to stop; to wait.


any time now

The train will be arriving any time now.

Tonight's guests are due any time now.


fullness of time

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-fullness of time.wav

But when the fulnes of the time was come, God ſent foorth his Sonne made of a woman, made vnder the Law, / To redeeme them that were vnder the Law, that we might receiue the adoption of ſonnes.

[1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Galatians 4:4–5:

In what year therefore ſoever, either from the deſtruction of the Temple, from the reedifying thereof, from the floud, or from the Creation he [Jesus Christ] appeared, certain it is, that in the fulneſſe of time he came.

1650, Thomas Browne, “Concerning the Beginning of the World, …”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC, 6th book, page 241:

This was the fullneſs of Time, in which all the Propheſies (concerning the Meſſias) were exactly fulfilled. Nothing was ever foretold of Jeſus Chriſt, which was not exactly performed in the fullneſs of Time.

1670, Thomas Price, The Mystery of Mysteries Revealed in the Fullnesse of Time. […], London: Printed by T. R. and T. D. for William Saywell […], page 25:

And in this exalted State he [Jesus Christ] ſhall appear again upon the Earth, and ſhew himſelf in the fullneſs of Time to thoſe who are then alive, for their Conviction and Converſion; [...]

1751, Robert, Lord Bishop of Clogher [i.e., Robert Clayton], “An Impartial Enquiry into the Time of the Coming of the Messiah: In a Second Letter from Robert, Lord Bishop of Clogher, to an Eminent Jew”, in An Enquiry into the Time of the Coming of the Messiah, and the Restoration of the Jews: In a Letter from Robert, Lord Bishop of Clogher, to an Eminent Jew, London: Printed for J. Brindley, […], →OCLC, page 80:

Believe, Sire, that it is the warmest wish and most fervent prayer of your Majesty's Citizens of London, that Providence may long continue to this nation so distinguishing a mark of divine favour, and that in the fullness of time, when your Majesty shall be called from your earthly to a celestial crown, the memory and example of so beloved a Sovereign may secure to a grateful people the imitation of your Majesty's virtues, in the successors of your Royal House, till time shall be no more.

1809 November 1, Henry Woodthorpe [Sr.], “City Jubilee Address to the King”, in William Cobbett, editor, Cobbett’s Weekly Political Register, volume XVI, number 18, London: Printed by T[homas] C[urson] Hansard, […]; published by Richard Bagshaw, […]; [et al.], published 4 November 1809, →OCLC, column 692:

I will tell you [...] what message he [Mahadev Govind Ranade] has left behind for the rising generations of his country, so that the harvest for which he laboured may be reaped and not lost in the fullness of time.

1903, G[opal] K[rishna] Gokhale, “Mr. Mahadev Govinda Ranade”, in Speeches of the Honourable Mr. G. K. Gokhale, […], Madras: G[anapathi] A[graharam] Natesan & Co., […], published [1908], →OCLC, page 603:

One of these gaps in Mrs. Assingham's completeness was her want of children; the other was her want of wealth. It was wonderful how little either, in the fulness of time, came to show; [...]

1904 November 10, Henry James, chapter II, in The Golden Bowl, volume I, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, 1st book (The Prince), 1st part, page 36:

In the fulness of time there was an eruption of the merry-makers to the sidewalk. The uninvited guests enveloped and permeated them, and upon the night air rose joyous cries, congratulations, laughter and unclassified noises born of McGary's oblations to the hymeneal scene.

1906 April, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “From the Cabby’s Seat”, in The Four Million, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co, →OCLC, page 165:

In the fullness of time, the love which existed between them had been spoken and acknowledged, and they were now a couple, with all the delights and the responsibilities which coupling provides and demands; but somehow, nobody had noticed.

1958, James Blish, “Object 4001 – Alephnull”, in The Triumph of Time: A Cities in Flight Novel (Avon; S221), New York, N.Y.: Avon, →OCLC; republished London: Gateway, Hachette UK, 2011, →ISBN:

It's my considered opinion that in the fullness of time history will record the greatness of [Michael] Collins and it will be recorded at my expense.

1966, Anne Dolan, quoting Éamon de Valera (allegedly), “‘History Will Record the Greatness of Collins’? Michael Collins and the Politics of Memory”, in Commemorating the Irish Civil War: History and Memory, 1923–2000, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 87:

If the entry of nous into the fetus is the moment of the latter's completion, then the appearance of the human race in history may properly be envisaged as the fullness of time.

1978, Franz Brentano, Rolf George and Roderick M[ilton] Chisholm, editors and translators, Aristotle and His World View, Berkeley, Calif., London: University of California Press, →ISBN, page 115:

The many references to kairotic time in the New Testament convey the notion of the fullness of time. Thus, many passages state that when the time was ripe, God acted. Alternatively, when time is complete, there is a fullness of time.

2006, Marita Grudzen, James P. Oberle, “Discovering the Spirit in the Rhythm of Time”, in Susan H. McFadden, Robert C. Atchley, editors, Aging and the Meaning of Time: A Multidisciplinary Exploration, New York, N.Y.: Springer Publishing Company, →ISBN, part III (Effects of Religious Beliefs and Spiritual Practices on Meanings of Time and Aging), page 174:

The time which is appropriate for something; a time that is not too soon.


chronostasis

From chrono- (prefix meaning ‘time’) + -stasis (suffix meaning ‘slowing down, stopping’).

confix

(optics) A visual illusion in which a regular movement seems to pause the first time it is observed.


Coordinated Mars Time

Coined in analogy to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), dealing with the planet Mars.

The standard time as kept on the planet Mars. It is generally equivalent to Airy Mean Time, which is determined on the prime meridian of Mars, that passes through the crater Airy-0.


Mars Coordinated Time

Coordinated Mars Time
Coordinated Mars Time#English

Alternative spelling of Coordinated Mars Time.


chronocoordinate

Evidence strongly suggests that spontaneous doublet mutations in normal mouse tissues generally arise from chronocoordinate events.

2008, Zhenbin Chen, “Epidemiology of doublet/multiplet mutations in lung cancers: evidence that a subset arises by chronocoordinate events”, in PloS one:


Filipino time

What is time? What is "Filipino" time? How can we manage "Filipino" time? Time is a succession of moments with a starting point and an ending point. Thus when we say that the working time is eight hours, it can mean that the work starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m. This is the western concept of time. It is horizontal.

1985, Tomas Quintin D. Andres, Management by Filipino Values: a Sequel to «Understanding Filipino Values», Cellar Book Shop, →ISBN, page 181:

Another issue that may arise in counseling or psychotherapy is the notion of “Filipino time.” Filipino Americans may have a different time orientation from the general American population and often may arrive late to appointments and meetings.

2011, Kevin L. Nadal, Filipino American Psychology: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 242:

(Philippines, sometimes derogatory, slang) A notional system of time which others sometimes derogatorily ascribe to Filipinos, and which they sometimes jocularly ascribe to themselves, to account for their supposed tendency to be leisurely, not rigorous about scheduling, and often tardy.


Nigerian time

(uncountable, sometimes derogatory, slang) A notional system of time which others sometimes derogatorily ascribe to Nigerians, and which they sometimes jocularly ascribe to themselves, to account for their supposed tendency to be leisurely, not rigorous about scheduling, and often tardy.


fortnite

[ˈfɔəʔ.nɐjʔ]

We are all together in the same house, and all parties have agreed to the match, and in a fortnite the surrymony will be performed.

1771, [Tobias Smollett], The Expedition of Humphry Clinker […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] W. Johnston, […]; and B. Collins, […], →OCLC:

Voted, by this company, to continue their meetings once a fortnite on mondays at two of ye clock in ye afternoon.

1772 October 2, Oscar Jewell Harvey, editor, The Town Book of Wilkes Barre, quoted in A History of Wilkes-Barré, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, published 1909, page 750:

Within a fortnite several others followed suit.

1953 August 18, The Rotarian, volume 83, number 2, page 51:

I think the blocks were saturated and held at 50° C and the water was changed every day for a fortnite or something like that.

1972, Report of Proceedings, volume 68, American Wood-Preservers' Association, page 28:


you can't go home again

From the novel You Can't Go Home Again by Thomas Wolfe (1900–1938), published posthumously in 1940. Wolfe took the title from a conversation with the writer Ella Winter, who remarked to Wolfe: "Don't you know you can't go home again?" Wolfe then asked Winter for permission to use the phrase as the title of his book.

The organizers of a surprisingly refreshing program called "Judson Dance Theater Reconstruction" know that you can't go home again. Instead, they have tried to re-create that home if ever so briefly—even if it was a home these same young organizers never knew.

1982 April 18, Anna Kisselgoff, “Dance: Judson Theater Remembered”, in New York Times, retrieved 2018-11-05:

As novelist Thomas Wolfe (1930s, not 1960s, version) declared in one of his book titles, You Can't Go Home Again—because home isn't there anymore.

2001 June 24, George J. Church, “Jobs in an Age of Insecurity”, in Time, retrieved 2018-11-05:

The Americans have a phrase for it: you can't go home again. Once you leave, that is it. […] [H]is time has come and gone, as he confessed when he retired from Test cricket three years ago. And gone means gone.

2009 August 12, Michael Henderson, “The Ashes: Marcus Trescothick's health is more important than England winning”, in Telegraph (UK), retrieved 2018-11-05:

Past times which are fondly remembered are irrecoverably in the past and cannot be relived.

Ella Winter
Thomas Wolfe
You Can't Go Home Again


I don't have all day

Used to say that you want someone to do something faster because you do not have enough time to wait for them to finish


fashion week

An event lasting approximately one week in which fashion collections are displayed to the public by various fashion designers and brands.