Topic: CHRONOLOGY
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| Date: | 1100-1200 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | heure, from Latin hora, from Greek |
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hour S1 W1
[countable]
[countable]1 a unit for measuring time. There are 60 minutes in one hour, and 24 hours in one day. COLLOCATIONS COLLOCATIONS
for an hour/two hours/three hours etc in an hour/in an hour's time (=when an hour has passed) an hour/two hours etc later an hour/two hours etc ago/earlier within hours (of something) (=only a few hours after something) half an hour also a half hour American English (a) quarter of an hour three quarters of an hour an hour's work (=work that it took you an hour to do) an hour's walk/drive miles/kilometres per hour (=used in speeds) £10/$5.50 etc an hour (=used to say how much someone is paid or how much you pay to use something) pay/charge by the hour (=pay or charge someone according to the number of hours it takes to do something) 
The interview will last about two hours. a five- hour delay
60 minutes
written abbreviation hrTMCCOLLOCATIONS for an hour/two hours/three hours etc in an hour/in an hour's time (=when an hour has passed) an hour/two hours etc later an hour/two hours etc ago/earlier within hours (of something) (=only a few hours after something) half an hour also a half hour American English (a) quarter of an hour three quarters of an hour an hour's work (=work that it took you an hour to do) an hour's walk/drive miles/kilometres per hour (=used in speeds) £10/$5.50 etc an hour (=used to say how much someone is paid or how much you pay to use something) pay/charge by the hour (=pay or charge someone according to the number of hours it takes to do something)
The interview will last about two hours. a five- hour delay2 a fixed period of time in the day when a particular activity, business etc happens : hours of business 9.00-5.00
business/work etc
hours
[plural]hours of business 9.00-5.00 visiting hours (=the time when you can visit someone in hospital)
after hours (=after the time when a business, especially a bar, is supposed to close)
3 if you work long, regular etc hours, the period that you work is longer than usual, always the same etc : the long hours worked by hospital doctors Many hospital staff have to work unsocial hours (=work in the evenings so that you cannot spend time with family or friends).
(work) long/regular etc hours
the long hours worked by hospital doctorsMany hospital staff have to work unsocial hours (=work in the evenings so that you cannot spend time with family or friends). work all the hours God sends (=work all the time that you can)
4 a particular period or point of time during the day or night Who can be calling at this late hour? (=used when you are surprised or annoyed by how late at night or early in the morning something is)
time of day
in the early/small hours (of the morning) (=between around midnight and two or three o'clock in the morning) There was a knock on the door in the early hours of the morning.
There was a knock on the door in the early hours of the morning.Who can be calling at this late hour? (=used when you are surprised or annoyed by how late at night or early in the morning something is) the hours of darkness/daylight literary: Few people dared to venture out during the hours of darkness.
Few people dared to venture out during the hours of darkness. unearthly/ungodly hour (=used when you are complaining about how early or late something is) We had to get up at some ungodly hour to catch a plane.
We had to get up at some ungodly hour to catch a plane. at all hours/at any hour (of the day or night) (=at any time) If you have a problem, you know you can call at any hour of the day or night.
If you have a problem, you know you can call at any hour of the day or night.➔ waking hours/life/day etc
at waking5 a long time or a time that seems long : We had to spend hours filling in forms.
long time
[usually plural] informalWe had to spend hours filling in forms.6 the time of the day when a new hour starts, for example one o'clock, two o'clock etc
o'clock
strike/chime the hour (=if a clock strikes the hour, it rings, to show that it is one o'clock, seven o'clock etc)
(every hour) on the hour (=every hour at six o'clock, seven o'clock etc) There are flights to Boston every hour on the hour.
There are flights to Boston every hour on the hour. 10/20 etc minutes before/after the hour American English (=used on national radio or television in order to give the time without saying which hour it is, because the broadcast may be coming from a different time zone) It's twelve minutes before the hour, and you're listening to Morning Edition on NPR.
It's twelve minutes before the hour, and you're listening to Morning Edition on NPR.7 used to give the time in official or military reports and orders : The helicopters lifted off at 0600 hours.
1300/1530/1805 etc hours
The helicopters lifted off at 0600 hours.8 if a situation is changing by the hour or from hour to hour, it is changing very quickly and very often : This financial crisis is growing more serious by the hour.
by the hour/from hour to hour
This financial crisis is growing more serious by the hour.9 the period in the middle of the day when people stop work for a meal : I usually do the crossword in my lunch hour.
lunch/dinner hour
I usually do the crossword in my lunch hour.10 an important moment or period in history or in your life
important time
[usually singular] somebody's hour of need/glory etc (=a time when someone needs help, is very successful etc)
11 important at a particular time, especially the present time : one of the burning questions of the hour
of the hour
one of the burning questions of the hour the hero/man of the hour (=someone who does something very brave, is very successful etc at a particular time)
