hour

[ou^uhr, ou-er]

noun

1. a period of time equal to one twenty-fourth of a mean solar or civil day and equivalent to 60 minutes.

   He slept for an hour.

2. any specific one of 24 periods of 60 minutes, usually reckoned in two series of 12, one series from midnight to noon and the second from noon to midnight, but sometimes reckoned in one series of 24, from midnight to midnight.

   He slept for the hour between 2 and 3 a.m. The hour for the bombardment was between 1300 and 1400.

3. any specific time of day; the time indicated by a timepiece.

   What is the hour?

4. a short or limited period of time.

   He savored his hour of glory.

5. a particular or appointed time.

   What was the hour of death? At what hour do you open?

6. a customary or usual time.

   When is your dinner hour?

7. the present time.

   The magazine had an interview with the man of the hour, star of the hottest new superhero movie.

8. hours,

   1. time spent in an office, factory, or the like, or for work, study, etc..

      The doctor's hours were from 10 to 4. What employees do after hours is their own business.

   2. customary time of going to bed and getting up.

      Actors often keep late hours.

   3. (in the Christian church) the seven stated times of the day for prayer and devotion.

   4. the offices or services prescribed for the seven stated times of the day for prayer and devotion.

   5. a book containing the seven stated times of the day for prayer and devotion.

9. distance normally covered in an hour's traveling.

   We live about an hour from the city.

10. Astronomy.,  a unit of measure of right ascension representing 15°, or the twenty-fourth part of a great circle.

11. a single period, as of class instruction or therapeutic consultation, usually lasting from 40 to 55 minutes.

12. Also called credit hour. Education.,  one unit of academic credit, usually representing attendance at one scheduled period of instruction per week throughout a semester, quarter, or term.

13. Classical Mythology.,  the Hours, the Horae.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or noting an hour.

hour

/ aʊə /

noun

1. a period of time equal to 3600 seconds; 1/ 24 th of a calendar day

2. any of the points on the face of a timepiece that indicate intervals of 60 minutes

3. an exact number of complete hours

   the bus leaves on the hour

4. the time of day as indicated by a watch, clock, etc

5. the period of time allowed for or used for something

   the lunch hour

   the hour of prayer

6. a special moment or period

   our finest hour

7. the present time

   the man of the hour

8. the distance covered in an hour

   we live an hour from the city

9. astronomy an angular measurement of right ascension equal to 15° or a 24th part of the celestial equator

10. 1. a time of success, fame, etc

    2. Also: one's last hour. the time of one's death

       his hour had come

11. informal,  to do something in a leisurely manner

hour

1. A unit of time equal to one of the 24 equal parts of a day; 60 minutes.

2. ◆ A sidereal hour is 1/24 of a sidereal day, and a mean solar hour is 1/24 of a mean solar day.

3. See more at sidereal time solar time

4. A unit of measure of longitude or right ascension, equal to 15° or 1/24 of a great circle.

Other Word Forms

• hourless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hour¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English (h)oure from Anglo-French; Old French (h)ore, from Latin hōra, from Greek hṓrā “time, season”

Word History and Origins

Origin of hour¹

C13: from Old French hore, from Latin hōra, from Greek: season

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. one's hour,

   1. Also one's last hour. the instant of death.

      The sick man knew that his hour had come.

   2. any crucial moment.

see after hours; all hours; by the day (hour); eleventh hour; happy hour; keep late hours; on the hour; small hours.

Example Sentences

Spending less than an hour during work browsing properties or shopping online is not a sackable offence, a UK judge has ruled.

From BBC

On Friday, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said 30 Palestinians had been killed in the territory in the past 24 hours, including 20 in Gaza City.

From BBC

What does this cartoonist believe so strongly that he took the hours of effort it requires to make this piece of art by hand?

From Salon

The Reform leader took to the stage for his keynote conference speech three hours earlier than planned after Rayner announced her resignation.

From BBC

A flurry of late arrivals in the final 48 hours of the transfer window has helped them but I don't think there is enough quality in the squad to compete consistently.

From BBC

Related Words

• age 
• date 
• day 
• era 
• future 
• generation 
• life 
• moment 
• month 
• occasion 
• pace 
• past 
• point 
• present 
• season 
• second 
• space 
• stage 
• term 
• turn