10. (Mus.) The measured duration of sounds; measure; tempo; rate of
movement; rhythmical division; as, common or triple time; the musician
keeps good time.
Some few lines set unto a solemn time.
Beau. & Fl.
Time is often used in the formation of compounds, mostly
self-explaining; as, time-battered, time-beguiling, time-consecrated,
time-consuming, time-enduring, time-killing, time-sanctioned,
time-scorner, time-wasting, time-worn, etc.
Absolute time, time irrespective of local standards or epochs; as, all
spectators see a lunar eclipse at the same instant of absolute time. —
Apparent time, the time of day reckoned by the sun, or so that 12
o'clock at the place is the instant of the transit of the sun's center
over the meridian. - - Astronomical time, mean solar time reckoned by
counting the hours continuously up to twenty-four from one noon to the
next. — At times, at distinct intervals of duration; now and then; as,
at times he reads, at other times he rides. — Civil time, time as
reckoned for the purposes of common life in distinct periods, as years,
months, days, hours, etc., the latter, among most modern nations, being
divided into two series of twelve each, and reckoned, the first series
from midnight to noon, the second, from noon to midnight. — Common time
(Mil.), the ordinary time of marching, in which ninety steps, each
twenty-eight inches in length, are taken in one minute. — Equation of
time. See under Equation, n. — In time. (a) In good season;
sufficiently early; as, he arrived in time to see the exhibition. (b)
After a considerable space of duration; eventually; finally; as, you
will in time recover your health and strength. — Mean time. See under
4th Mean. — Quick time (Mil.), time of marching, in which one hundred
and twenty steps, each thirty inches in length, are taken in one
minute. — Sidereal time. See under Sidereal. — Standard time, the civil
time that has been established by law or by general usage over a region
or country. In England the standard time is Greenwich mean solar time.
In the United States and Canada four kinds of standard time have been
adopted by the railroads and accepted by the people, viz., Eastern,
Central, Mountain, and Pacific time, corresponding severally to the
mean local times of the 75th, 90th, 105th, and 120th meridians west
from Greenwich, and being therefore five, six, seven, and eight hours
slower than Greenwich time. — Time ball, a ball arranged to drop from
the summit of a pole, to indicate true midday time, as at Greenwich
Observatory, England. Nichol. — Time bargain (Com.), a contract made
for the sale or purchase of merchandise, or of stock in the public
funds, at a certain time in the future. — Time bill. Same as
Time-table. [Eng.] — Time book, a book in which is kept a record of the
time persons have worked. — Time detector, a timepiece provided with a
device for registering and indicating the exact time when a watchman
visits certain stations in his beat. — Time enough, in season; early
enough. "Stanly at Bosworth field, . . . came time enough to save his
life." Bacon. — Time fuse, a fuse, as for an explosive projectile,
which can be so arranged as to ignite the charge at a certain definite
interval after being itself ignited. — Time immemorial, or Time out of
mind. (Eng. Law) See under Immemorial. — Time lock, a lock having
clockwork attached, which, when wound up, prevents the bolt from being
withdrawn when locked, until a certain interval of time has elapsed. —
Time of day, salutation appropriate to the times of the day, as "good
morning," "good evening," and the like; greeting. — To kill time. See
under Kill, v. t. — To make time. (a) To gain time. (b) To occupy or
use (a certain) time in doing something; as, the trotting horse made
fast time. — To move, run, or go, against time, to move, run, or go a
given distance without a competitor, in the quickest possible time; or,
to accomplish the greatest distance which can be passed over in a given
time; as, the horse is to run against time. — True time. (a) Mean time
as kept by a clock going uniformly. (b) (Astron.) Apparent time as
reckoned from the transit of the sun's center over the meridian.
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Time (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Timed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Timing.] 1. To
appoint the time for; to bring, begin, or perform at the proper season
or time; as, he timed his appearance rightly.
There is no greater wisdom than well to time the beginnings and onsets
of things.
Bacon.
2. To regulate as to time; to accompany, or agree with, in time of
movement.
Who overlooked the oars, and timed the stroke.
Addison.
He was a thing of blood, whose every motion Was timed with dying cries.
Shak.
3. To ascertain or record the time, duration, or rate of; as, to time
the speed of horses, or hours for workmen.