# time

/ˈtaɪm/ (US) · /tˈaɪm/ (UK) · CEFR A1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/time
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

the minutes, hours, and days that pass as you live. You use it to talk about when things happen or how long they last.

For teachers: the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole. Often used to refer to a specific point on a clock or a measured duration.

## Examples

- What time does the meeting start tomorrow?
- She spent a lot of time preparing for the exam because the material was quite difficult.
- Philosophers and physicists have long debated whether time is a fundamental property of the universe or merely a human construct used to sequence our sensory experiences.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I have been here since three hours" but "I have been here for three hours" — Learners often use 'since' to describe a duration of time, but 'since' must refer to a specific starting point.

## Usage notes

- Uncountable when referring to the general concept of duration; countable when referring to specific instances or occasions ('three times').

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.