Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TIME, n. [Sax. tim, tima, time in general; Dan. time, Sw. timme, an hour; L. tempus; It. and Port. tempo; Sp. tiempo; Fr. temps, time in general; all from the root of the Sw. tima, to happen, to come, to befall, but the root in some of its applications, must have signified to rush with violence. Hence the sense of temples, L. tempora, the falls of the head, also tempest, &c. See Tempest. Time is primarily equivalent to season; to the Gr. ὡρα in its original sense, opportunity, occasion, a fall, an event, that which comes.]

1. A particular portion or part of duration, whether past, present or future. The time was; the time has been; the time is; the time will be. Lost time is never found again. Franklin. God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets. Heb. i.
2. A proper time; a season. There is a time to every purpose. Eccles. iii. The time of figs was not yet. Mark. xi.
3. Duration. The equal and uniform flux of time does not affect our senses. Cyc. Time is absolute or relative; absolute time is considered without any relation to bodies or their motions. Relative time is the sensible measure of any portion of duration, by means of motion. Thus the diurnal revolution of the sun measures a space of time or duration. Hence,
4. A space or measured portion of duration. We were in Paris two months, and all that time enjoyed good health.
5. Life or duration in reference to occupation. One man spends his time in idleness; another devotes all his time to useful purposes. Believe me, your time is not your own; it belongs to God, to religion, to mankind. Buckminster.
6. Age; a part of duration distinct from other parts; as, ancient times; modern times. The Spanish armada was defeated in the time of Queen Elizabeth.
7. Hour of travail. She was within one mouth of her time. Clarendon.
8. Repetition; repeated performance, or mention with reference to repetition. The physician visits his patient three times in a day.
9. Repetition; doubling; addition of a number to itself; as, to double cloth four times; four times four amount to sixteen.
10. Measure of sounds in music; as, common time, and treble time. In concerts, it is all important that the performers keep time, or exact time.
11. The state of things at a particular period; as when we say, good times, or bad times, hard times, dull times for trade, &c. In this sense, the plural is generally used.
12. The present life; as, in time or eternity.
13. In grammar, tense. In time, in good season; sufficiently early. He arrived in time to see the exhibition. #2. A considerable space of duration; process or continuation of duration. You must wait patiently; you will in time recover your health and strength. At times, at distinct intervals of duration. At times he reads; at other times he rides. The spirit began to move him at times. Judges xiii. Time enough, in season; early enough. Stanley at Bosworth-field, came time enough to save his life. Bacon. To lose time, to delay. #2. To go too slow; as, a watch or clock loses time. Apparent time, in astronomy, true solar time, regulated by the apparent motions of the sun. Mean time, equated time, a mean or average of apparent time. Sidereal time, is that which is shown by the apparent diurnal revolutions of the stars.