hour

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noun

/aʊr/

singular	hour
plural	hours

1
[countable] a period of time that consists of 60 minutes. 30 minutes is usually called half an hour, 15 minutes can be called a quarter of an hour, and 45 minutes can be called three-quarters of an hour
every hour:
She checked on the children every hour.
an hour ago:
He left about an hour ago.
an hour of something:
After an hour of arguing, he agreed.
an hour’s sleep/exercise/practice etc.:
Why don’t you get an hour’s sleep?
for an hour:
I’ve been waiting for over an hour.
take an hour to do something:
This dish takes about an hour to cook.
it takes an hour to do something:
It takes nearly an hour to get there by bus.
in an hour/an hour’s time:
I can be there in an hour.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
1. a.
  used when you are talking about how much time you need to get somewhere
  an hour along/past something:
  An hour along the beach road are some little stores.
  an hour away (from something):
  Annapolis is only an hour away from here.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
2
hours
[plural] a long time
I’m hungry and it’s hours until dinner.
for hours (on end):
I lay awake for hours thinking about John.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
3
hours
[plural] the time during which you do something such as work or study
My job is very flexible – I can fit my hours around my children.
long hours:
She’s putting in long hours at the library.
school/working hours:
courses that take place outside school hours
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
4
[countable] a particular time in the day or night
You can call me at any hour of the day or night.
What are you doing out of bed at this hour (=so early or late)?
the hours of daylight/darkness:
They usually hunt during the hours of darkness.
at all hours:
You get cars coming down here at all hours.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
5
[singular] a particular point in history or in someone’s life or career
someone’s/something’s finest hour:
His finest hour came in 1982 when his movie Gandhi won eight Oscars.
someone’s/something’s darkest hour (=worst time):
We have lived through our country’s darkest hour.
in someone’s hour of need (=at a time when they really need help):
No one had helped him in his hour of need.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
6
the hour
the time that is exactly one o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock etc.
after the hour:
The bus stops here at six minutes after the hour.
on the hour:
Trains for Edinburgh leave every hour on the hour.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour

phrases

0900/1300 etc. hours
spoken formal
used especially by the police and military people for telling the time by the twenty-four hour clock. For example, 13 hundred hours is one o’clock in the afternoon.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
after hours
after the time when a place such as an office or bar usually closes
For after hours emergencies, call 499–1992.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
See also after-hours
an/per hour
at a rate based on an hour of a particular activity
I earn $15 an hour.
The car was traveling at an estimated 85 miles per hour.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
by the hour
1. 1
  based on an hour of work
  Are you paid for work completed, or by the hour?
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
2. 2
  by the hour/from hour to hour
  continuously, or all the time
  The fire grew bigger by the hour.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
hour after/upon hour
a very long time
She spends hour after hour reading magazines.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
keep regular/late etc. hours
to perform the same activities every day at regular/late, etc. times, especially going to bed and getting out of bed
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
of the hour
most important or popular at the present time
the hero of the hour
the issues of the hour
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
strike the hour
if a clock strikes the hour, it shows that it is exactly one o’clock, two o’clock, etc. by making a sound once, twice, etc.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour
within the hour
before very much time has passed, usually less than an hour
I’ll be back within the hour.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of hour

This is the American English definition of hour. View British English definition of hour.

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hour

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hours

hours

the hour

phrases

0900/1300 etc. hours

after hours

an/per hour

by the hour

by the hour/from hour to hour

hour after/upon hour

keep regular/late etc. hours

of the hour

strike the hour

within the hour

vocal fry

Word of the Day

watchword

conflict mineral