time
[noun]
Synonyms:
- period, duration, interval, season, space, span, spell, stretch, term
- occasion, instance, juncture, point, stage
- tempo, beat, measure, rhythm
[verb]
Synonyms:
- schedule, set

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Related Idioms: the proper moment, hold the clock on
Related Words: season, plan, program, set up

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English Thesaurus: period, time, age, era, epoch, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

Time (also ˌTime magaˈzine / $ ˌ. ˈ.../) trademark
a US weekly news magazine which is sold in the US and is also available in many countries around the world

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

I. time¹ S1 W1 /taɪm/ noun
[Word Family: noun: time, overtime, timer, timing, timelessness; adjective: timeless, timely ≠ untimely; verb: time; adverb: timelessly]
[Language: Old English; Origin: tima]

1. MINUTES/HOURS ETC [uncountable] the thing that is measured in minutes, hours, days, years etc using clocks:
Einstein changed the way we think about space and time.
close relationships established over a long period of time
Customers have only a limited amount of time to examine the goods.
time passes/goes by
Their marriage got better as time went by.

2. ON A CLOCK [singular] a particular point in time shown on a clock in hours and minutes:
‘What time is it?’ ‘It’s about two thirty.’
What time are you going out tonight?
what time do you make it? British English what time do you have? American English (=used to ask someone with a watch what time it is)
have you got the time? British English do you have the time? American English (=used to ask someone if they know what time it is)
tell the time British English tell time American English (=be able to understand a clock)
Robin’s just learning to tell the time.
look at the time (=used when you realize that it is later than you thought it was)
Oh no. Look at the time. I’ll be late.
is that the time? (=used when you suddenly realize what the time is)
Is that the time? I must go.
this time tomorrow/last week etc
By this time tomorrow I’ll know whether I’ve got the job.

3. OCCASION [countable] an occasion when something happens or someone does something:
That was the only time we disagreed.
Do you remember the time I hit Tom Benson?
Mary had seen the film many times.
(for) the first/second/last etc time
It was the first time that he had lost a game.
Gerry had just had back surgery for the third time in two years.
(the) next time/(the) last time/this time
Why don’t you drop in for a drink next time you’re over this way?
The last time (=the most recent time) I saw Jonathan was Thursday evening.
The freezing weather did not return until February but this time we were prepared.
the first/second/next/last etc time round (=the first, second etc time something happens)
I missed their concert the first time round so I’m going next week.
every/each time
I meet up with Julie every time I go to Washington.
how many times ...?
How many times did you take your driving test?
How many times have I told you not to wander off like that? (=I have told you many times)
One time (=once) I went to a garage sale and bought fifteen books.

4. POINT WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS [uncountable and countable] the particular minute, hour, day etc when something happens or should happen
at the time of something
She was three months pregnant at the time of Stephen’s death.
at some/any/that time
He is performing as well as at any time in his career.
The UK has 500,000 stray dogs on its streets at any one time (=at any particular time).
at a/the time when ...
At the time when this scheme was introduced, it was recognised that there might be problems.
by the time ...
The phone was ringing but by the time she got indoors, it had stopped.
it’s time to do something
Rosie – it’s time to get up.
it’s time for something
Come on, it’s time for bed.
He glanced at his watch. ‘It’s time for me to go.’
it’s time somebody did something
It’s time I fed the dog.
Now is the right time for us to move to London.
a good/bad time
This might be a good time to start planning the new garden.
not the time/hardly the time
Now is not the time to annoy Peter.
there’s no time like the present (=used to say that now is a good time to do something)
‘When do you want to meet?’ ‘Well, there’s no time like the present.’
dinner/lunch/tea etc time
It’s nearly dinner time.
opening/closing time (=the time when a shop, bar etc opens or closes)
We empty the till each night at closing time.
arrival/departure time (=the time when a train, plane etc arrives or leaves)
Our estimated arrival time is 2:30 pm.
time of day/year
England is so lovely at this time of year.
We’ll sort that out when the time comes (=when it becomes necessary).

5. PERIOD OF TIME [singular, uncountable] a period of time during which something happens or someone does something:
Dustin wanted to spend as much time as possible with his family.
a long/short/limited time
I first met Jennifer a long time ago.
They stopped for a short time to rest the horses.
Andy and Tom talked for some time (=for a fairly short period).
Alison was married, for a time (=for a fairly short period), to a comedian.
Martin disliked being away from his family for any length of time (=for more than just a short period).
It took her a long time to make a decision.
Learning a language isn’t easy – it takes time (=takes a long period of time).
take time to do something (=deliberately spend time doing something)
While in New York he took time to visit some friends.
travel time
I wanted to make better use of my travel time.

6. AVAILABLE TIME [uncountable] an amount of time that is available for you to do something:
I’ll visit him if I have time.
Molly would like to do some diving if there is time.
have time for something
She realized she would have time for a coffee before her train left.
We don’t have to rush. We have all the time in the world (=have plenty of time).
June had little time to spare (=available time) for making her own clothes.
free/spare time (=time when you are not working)
He writes poetry in his spare time.
Being prepared for meetings will save time.
I don’t want to waste time arguing.
She spent precious time (=valuable and important time) looking for a telephone.
I seem to spend most of my time on the phone.
McDuff passed the time writing letters (=wrote letters because he had nothing else to do).
have time on your hands/time to kill (=not have enough to do)
Now the children have left home, she has too much time on her hands.
make/find time (for something/to do something) (=plan so that you have time available for something)
Make time to talk to your children.
Book your ticket soon, as time is running out.
time’s up (=used to say that it is the end of the time allowed for something such as a competition or examination)
we’re out of time (=used on radio and television programmes to say that there is no more time available on the programme)

7. all the time (also the whole time) continuously or very often:
I keep practising and I’m improving all the time.
He worries about her the whole time.

8. most of the time very often or almost always:
I can speak German but we speak English most of the time.

9. half the time if something happens half the time, especially something annoying, it happens quite often:
Half the time you don’t even notice what I’m wearing.

10. at times sometimes:
Life is hard at times.

11. from time to time sometimes, but not regularly or very often:
These food safety scares happen from time to time.

12. time after time/time and time again often, over a long period:
The police were catching the same kids stealing time after time.

13. at all times always – used especially in official rules and statements:
Children must be supervised at all times while in the park.
Parents are welcome at all times.

14. nine times out of ten/99 times out of 100 etc used to say that something is almost always true or almost always happens:
Nine times out of ten she’s right.

15. at the time at a particular moment or period in the past when something happened, especially when the situation is very different now:
I was about ten or eleven at the time.

16. at one time at a time in the past but not now:
At one time she wanted to be a nurse, but the thought of working at night put her off.

17. at this time American English at this particular moment:
The President said his actions were ‘the right ones at this time’.

18. at no time used to say strongly that something never happened or should never happen
at no time did/was etc
At no time did anyone involved speak to the press.
At no time was the company informed.

19. for the time being for a short period of time from now, but not permanently:
Now, for the time being, she is living with her father in Tijuana.

20. in 10 days’/five years’/a few minutes’ etc time ten days, five years etc from now:
He has an appointment with the doctor in two days’ time.

21. in time
a) before the time by which it is necessary for something to be done:
Will you be able to finish it in time?
in time to do something
They ran all the way to the corner just in time to see the bus disappearing up the street.
in time for
The painting was successfully repaired in time for the opening of the exhibition.
in good time/in plenty of time (=a long time before the necessary time)
We arrived at the concert hall in good time.
b) after a certain period of time, especially after a gradual process of change and development:
He wants to see changes in the company and I am sure he will, in time.

22. with time to spare sooner than expected or necessary:
We should arrive in New York with time to spare.

23. over time if something happens over time, it happens gradually during a long period:
The research project will be assessed over time.
Students are encouraged to consider the way language changes over time.

24. with time/given time after a period of time:
These symptoms will start to get better with time.
I would have thought of the answer, given time.

25. take your time
a) to do something slowly or carefully without hurrying
take your time doing something
Marie took her time cutting my hair and did it really well.
take your time over
He had planned to take his time over the journey.
b) to do something more slowly than seems reasonable:
You’re taking your time with the lab tests. We need the results now.

26. five/ten/many etc times ... used to say how much greater, more etc one thing is than another:
Sound travels four times faster in water than in air.
There were three times as many girls as boys.

27. ... at a time
a) if someone deals with things one, three, ten etc at a time, they deal with them separately or in groups of three, ten etc:
If you raise your hands, I’ll answer questions one at a time.
Frank took the stairs two at a time.
b) if something happens for hours, days, months etc at a time, it continues for several hours, months etc:
Because of his work, he’s often away for weeks at a time.

28. on time at the correct time or the time that was arranged:
Jack was worried about whether he’d be able to get there on time.
right/bang/dead on time (=at exactly the right time)
The plane arrived right on time.

29. ahead of/behind time earlier or later than the time when something happens, should be done etc:
Prepare what you plan to say in the meeting ahead of time (=before the meeting).
The train left twenty minutes behind time (=after it should have left).

30. it’s about time (also it’s high time) spoken used to say strongly that you think something should happen soon or should already have happened:
It’s about time our team won.
It’s high time we had a party.

31. not before time/and about time (too) spoken used to say that something should have happened sooner:
Philip is going to be punished and not before time.

32. the best/biggest etc ... of all time the best, biggest etc of a particular kind of person or thing that has ever existed:
He is the greatest athlete of all time, in my opinion.

33. in no time (at all)/in next to no time very quickly or soon:
We’ll be there in no time.

34. any time (now) very soon:
‘When is she due back?’ ‘Any time now.’

35. it’s (only/just) a matter/question of time used to say that something will definitely happen at some time in the future, but you do not know when:
I’ll find the key eventually. It’s just a question of time.
It’s only a matter of time before we catch the person who killed her.

36. (only) time will tell used to say that at some time in the future it will become clear whether or not something is true, right etc:
Only time will tell if the treatment has been successful.

37. PERIOD IN HISTORY [countable] (also times [plural]) a particular period in history:
Mankind has used the horse since ancient times.
In earlier times, servants would use the bare wooden stairs at the back of the house.
at/in/during etc the time of something
He lived at the time of the Napoleonic wars.
our time(s) (=the present period in history)
Air pollution has become one of the most significant health problems of our time.

38. behind the times old-fashioned:
Our equipment is a bit behind the times.

39. move/change/keep up with the times to change when other things in society, business etc change:
We’ve got to move with the times.

40. ahead of your/its time having or using the most advanced ideas, methods, designs, technology etc:
Coleridge was far ahead of his time in his understanding of the unconscious.

41. PLEASANT/UNPLEASANT [countable] a good time, bad time, difficult time etc is a period or occasion when you have good, bad, difficult etc experiences:
This was the happiest time of her life.
good/bad/hard etc times
They had their happy times, but they had their hard times too.
have a good/great/lovely etc time (=enjoy yourself)
Did you have a good time at the party?
Julie went to a wedding at the weekend and had the time of her life (=enjoyed herself very much).

42. sb’s time in/at/as something the period of time when you were living in a particular place, working for a particular company etc:
In her time at the United Nations she was considered a tough negotiator.

43. before your time
a) before you were born or before you started working or living somewhere:
They say he was a great actor but that was before my time.
b) if you do something, especially get old, before your time, you do it before the time when most people usually do it in their lives:
He seemed to grow into an old man before his time.

44. IN PART OF THE WORLD [uncountable] the way of referring to points in time in one particular part of the world:
Eastern Standard Time
British Summer Time
The flight to Boston arrives at 1.15 pm local time.

45. TIME TAKEN [countable]
a) the amount of time taken by a competitor in a race:
The Olympic medallist’s time in the 200 metres final was 2 minutes 11.56 seconds.
b) journey time the amount of time a journey takes:
The journey time to London is approximately four hours.

46. SPORTS [uncountable] British English the end of the normal period of playing time in a sports game, especially football Synonym : full time:
Mason’s goal 13 minutes from time earned his team a place in the finals.

47. MUSIC [uncountable] the number of beats in each bar in a piece of music:
Waltzes are usually in three-four time.

48. in time to/with something if you do something in time to a piece of music, you do it using the same rhythm and speed as the music:
Gloria was tapping her feet in time to the music.

49. keep/beat time to show the rhythm and speed that a piece of music should be played at to a group of musicians, using your hands

50. keep perfect/good etc time if a clock keeps good time, it always shows the correct time

51. PRISON do time to spend a period of time in prison:
Paul was doing time for burglary.

52. pass the time of day (with somebody) to say hello to someone and have a short talk with them:
People like to pass the time of day with neighbours.

53. time was (when) used to say that there was a time when you used to be able to do something, when something used to happen etc:
Time was when no one had television.

54. there’s no time to lose used to say that you must do something quickly because there is very little time

55. make good time if you make good time on a journey, you travel quickly, especially more quickly than you expected:
We made good time and were at the hotel by lunchtime.

56. race/work/battle against time to try to finish or achieve something even though you have very little time:
Mark was racing against time to complete the work by Friday.

57. time is money used to say that wasting time or delaying something costs money

58. time is on your side used to say that someone is young enough to be able to wait before doing something or until something happens

59. time is a great healer/heals all wounds used to say that someone will become less upset as time passes

60. time flies used to say that time seems to pass very quickly:
Time flies when you’re having fun.

61. in your own time if you study or do work in your own time, you do it outside normal school or work hours:
Nurses in training study in their own time.

62. in your own (good) time informal when you are ready:
Bobby will tell them about it in his own good time.

63. all in good time used to tell someone to be patient because something they are waiting for will certainly happen after a period of time, and probably quite soon:
‘I’d love to see it.’ ‘All in good time.’

64. have a lot of/no time for somebody/something informal if you have a lot of time for someone or something, you like or admire them:
He has no time for (=does not like) people who talk too much.

65. time of life used to refer to someone’s age:
At my time of life, you can’t take too many shocks like that.

66. your time used in certain expressions to refer to the period when you are alive
in your time
I’ve met some rude women in my time but she’s the worst.
He was many things in his time – musician, pilot, cattle-rancher, industrialist, journalist.
If I had my time over again (=lived my life again), I’d probably do exactly the same things.

67. time of the month the time when a woman has her period:
It’s that time of the month.

68. time out of mind literary a very long time, or a very long time ago
⇒ big time¹, full-time, half-time, part-time, real-time, ⇒ at the best of times at best³(11), ⇒ time is of the essence at essence(4), ⇒ bide your time at bide(1), ⇒ in the fullness of time at fullness(1), ⇒ give somebody/something time at give¹(21), ⇒ kill time at kill¹(8), ⇒ lose time at lose(8), ⇒ mark time at mark²(11), ⇒ move with the times at move¹(17), ⇒ in the nick of time at nick¹(1), ⇒ for old times’ sake at old(19), ⇒ once upon a time at once¹(14), ⇒ play for time at play¹(18), ⇒ the time is ripe at ripe(3), ⇒ at the same time at same¹(3), ⇒ sign of the times at sign¹(9), ⇒ a stitch in time (saves nine) at stitch¹(8), ⇒ have a whale of a time at whale¹(2)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. time² verb [transitive]
[Word Family: noun: time, overtime, timer, timing, timelessness; adjective: timeless, timely ≠ untimely; verb: time; adverb: timelessly]

1. [usually passive] to arrange that something should happen at a particular time:
I saw from the station clock that I had timed my arrival perfectly.
be timed to do something
The tour has been timed to allow visitors to attend the opening night of the Verona opera season.
Her book was timed to coincide with (=arranged to be at the same time as) an exhibition of Goya’s paintings at the National Gallery.
be timed for something
The meeting has been timed for three o'clock.

2. to measure how fast someone or something is going, how long it takes to do something etc:
We had to run up the stairs while the Sergeant timed us.
time somebody/something at something
They timed the winner at 2 minutes and 14.05 seconds.

3. to hit a ball or make a shot at a particular moment ⇒ mistime
time something well/badly etc
Keith timed the pass well.
a beautifully timed shot
⇒ ill-timed, well-timed

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

time
noun
I. what is measured in minutes, hours, days, etc.
TIME + VERB elapse, go by, pass As time went by we saw less and less of each other. The changing seasons mark the passing of time. | fly How time flies!
drag Time drags in this job.
heal sth Time heals all wounds.
PREP. in ~ The world exists in time and space.
over ~ Perceptions change over time.
through ~ travel through time
PHRASES the mists of time The origins of this custom are lost in the mists of time.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time
II. time shown on a clock
ADJ. good, perfect My watch keeps good time.
local The attacks were launched at 9 p.m. local time.
British Summer, Greenwich Mean, etc.
VERB + TIME tell Can your son tell the time yet?
have Have you got the time?
make What time do you make it?
look at Look at the time! We'll be late.
keep
PREP. ahead of/behind … ~ two hours behind Central European Time
PHRASES this time tomorrow, etc. This time tomorrow I'll be in Canada.
time in/of the morning/afternoon/evening, time of (the) night/year, time of day

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time
III. time when sth happens/should happen
ADJ. peak There are extra buses at peak times.
closing, opening | arrival, departure
VERB + TIME fix, set We need to fix a time for the next meeting.
TIME + VERB come You'll feel differently about it when the time comes.
PREP. ahead of ~ Check the programme ahead of time.
behind ~ The plane took off an hour behind time.
by the ~ By the time you get there the meeting will be over.
in ~ We got home in time to see the end of the match.
on ~ The trains are rarely on time.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time
IV. amount of time
ADJ. considerable, long | little, short | reasonable | precious We're wasting precious time.
idle | free, leisure, spare | journey, travel, travelling | lead, waiting There is a long lead time between order and delivery of the product.
VERB + TIME have Have you got time for a chat? I had no time to think.
give sb/sth I can certainly do the job if you give me time.
take (sb) It takes time to make changes in the law. It took her a long time to read the report.
Take your time (= take as much time as you like).
spend She spends much of her time reading. | kill, pass, while away It helps to pass the time.
fritter away, idle away | devote, put She devotes all her spare time to gardening. He put all his time into the show.
allow They didn't allow much time for discussion.
find, make I can never find time to write letters. I can probably make the time to see them.
wait We had to wait some time before the bus arrived.
gain, save You would save time with a dishwasher. | waste | lose, run out of We have no time to lose (= we must hurry). I didn't finish the test?I ran out of time.
be pressed for/short of | be out of | play for Not knowing what to do, she played for time by going to the bathroom.
TIME + VERB be up, run out Sorry, your time is up.
TIME + NOUN period, scale, span | limit | lag
PREP. at a ~ He surfs the Internet for hours at a time.
for a ~ I lived there for a time.
in ~ You'll get used to the work in time.
over/with ~ Her skills improved with time.
PHRASES all in good time (= sth will happen when the time is right) Be patient, Emily! All in good time.
all the time/the whole time The letter was in my pocket all the time (= while I was looking for it). She leaves the lights on all the time (= always/repeatedly).
a battle/race against time Finishing the book was a race against time.
if time permits We will discuss this matter later, if time permits.
in the fullness of time (= when the time is right, usually after a long period), in good/plenty of time Get to the airport in good time (= plenty of time before the plane leaves).
in next to no time/in no time at all, in ten minutes', three hours', etc. time I'll be back in ten minutes' time.
in your own (good) time (= taking as long as you want/need), a length of time Have you lived abroad for any length of time?
most of the time, a period of time, some/a long time ago Her parents died a long time ago.
a waste of time What a waste of time!

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time
V. (often times) period in the past/present
ADJ. good, great, happy | bad, difficult, hard, rough, sad, troubled, unhappy Times are hard for the unemployed.
ancient, early, former, old in ancient times
modern, recent | medieval, prehistoric, etc.
VERB + TIME have We had a great time at the party.
TIME + VERB change Times have changed since Grandma was young.
PREP. at a/the~ He lived at the time of the French Revolution. At one time Mary was my best friend.
before your ~ The Beatles were before my time.
in your ~ Mr Curtis was the manager in my time (= when I was working there).
in ~s in times of trouble
PHRASES from/since time immemorial (= for a very long time), of all time the greatest footballer of all time
a sign of the times, time was when Time was when (= there was a time when) we never needed to lock our house at night.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time
VI. occasion
ADJ. that, this I'm determined to pass this time.
last When was the last time you saw her?
another, next Next time you're here let's have lunch together.
one | each, every Every time I hear that song I feel happy.
appropriate, good, suitable Is this an appropriate time to discuss my salary?
appointed, right | bad, wrong This would be a bad time to tell her.
first, second, etc. | umpteenth | countless I've told you countless times.
VERB + TIME bide We'll have to bide our time until the rain stops.
TIME + VERB come Your time will come.
be ripe The time is ripe for revolution.
PREP. at a/the ~ The lift can take four people at a time. At the time of writing, a ceasefire is under discussion. Hot water is available at all times. He can be rather moody at times.
by the ~ She'll have gone by the time we get there.
for the … ~ I told her not to do it for the umpteenth time.
~ for It's time for a break.
PHRASES at the present time, for the time being (= temporarily), a number of times, X times out of X three times out of ten

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time
VII. when you experience sth in a particular way
ADJ. enjoyable, fun, good, grand, great, marvellous, pleasant, splendid, wonderful It was a fun time for us girls.
awful, dreadful, horrible, miserable, sad, terrible
VERB + TIME have Did you have a good time in Spain?

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time
VIII. time taken in a race, etc.
ADJ. fast | record He completed the course in record time.
VERB + TIME clock up, record She clocked up one of the fastest times of the year.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time
IX. musical rhythm
ADJ. march, waltz | double, quick | four-four, three-four, etc.
VERB + TIME beat, keep The conductor beat time with a baton.
TIME + NOUN signature
PREP. in/out of ~ (to/with) clapping in time to the music

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time
verb
ADV. beautifully, conveniently, well This campaign is well timed.
perfectly, to perfection We had timed our arrival to perfection.
badly | carefully The schedule must be carefully timed.
PREP. for The meeting is timed for 3 o'clock.
PHRASES be timed to coincide with sth The show is timed to coincide with the launch of her new book.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time

time passes/goes by
As time passed, she thought less and less about her family back home.
take time (=require a long time to do)
Learning a new skill takes time.
have time (=have enough time to do something)
I didn’t do it because I didn’t have time.
have/get time to do something
We never get time to do anything together.
spend time
I’m going to spend some time with my family.
pass the time (=spend a period of time doing something)
The prisoners pass the time reading, or writing letters.
waste time
You are wasting your time arguing with him.
save time
I used a ready-made sauce in order to save time.
make/find time to do something (=do something, even though you are busy)
You need to make time to do things you enjoy.
kill time (=spend time doing something unimportant while waiting for something)
He was just killing time before his appointment.
a long time
I haven’t seen him for a long time.
a short time
A short time later, she heard him drive away.
a limited time (=a short period of time)
The offer is available for a limited time only.
some time (=quite a long period of time)
I’ve known the truth for some time.
free/spare time
He spends all this free time watching television.
precious/valuable time
I’m sorry if I’m taking up your valuable time.
family time
As the children get older, evenings become valuable family time.
journey/travel time (=the time it takes to travel somewhere)
By train, the journey time to London is about two hours.
a period of time
Over a period of time the students develop their own ideas.
an amount/a length of time
Customers only have a limited amount of time to inspect the goods.
there is time to do something (=there is enough time to do it)
There was no time to discuss it further.
it takes time to do something
It took them a long time to struggle through the crowds.
as time goes on (=as time passes)
I understood him better as time went on.
time is running out (=there is not much time left to do something)
Doctors are looking for a suitable donor, but time is running out.
time’s up (=used to say that the time allowed for something has finished)
Time’s up, class. Put your pens down and hand your papers to the front.
have time to kill (=have time to do something unimportant while waiting for something)
I still had some time to kill, so I thought I’d make a couple of phone calls.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

time
noun
1.
BAD: Many times there is nothing worth watching on TV.
GOOD: Very often there is nothing worth watching on TV.

Usage Note:
Do not use many times unless you are thinking about the total number of times that something happens: 'I've tried phoning her many times during the past week, but nobody answers.' 'He'd told me the same story many times before.'
When you are thinking about the general frequency with which something happens, use often : 'When people are tired, they often make mistakes.'

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2.
BAD: The journey takes long time.
GOOD: The journey takes a long time.
BAD: Long time ago there was a queen named Isabel.
GOOD: A long time ago there was a queen named Isabel.

Usage Note:
a long time (WITH a ): 'The film lasted a long time.'

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3.
BAD: In the present time the situation is getting worse.
GOOD: At the present time the situation is getting worse.
BAD: We both left the building in the same time.
GOOD: We both left the building at the same time.
BAD: Most families get together in Christmas time.
GOOD: Most families get together at Christmas time.
BAD: He was born in the right time and in the right place.
GOOD: He was born at the right time and in the right place.

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4.
DUBIOUS: He couldn't see where he was going and fell down many times.
GOOD: He couldn't see where he was going and kept falling down.
BAD: People tell me many times that America is a dangerous country.
GOOD: People are always telling me that America is a dangerous country.

Usage Note:
If you do something repeatedly, you keep doing it or you are always doing it: 'Why does she keep writing to you?' 'At school I was always getting into trouble.'

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5.
BAD: Last time Singapore used to be a fishing village.
GOOD: Many years ago Singapore used to be a fishing village.
BAD: Last time you promised to join me on a trip to Beijing.
GOOD: The last time we met you promised to join me on a trip to Beijing.

Usage Note:
The last time (always with the ) refers to a particular occasion: 'The last time we saw each other she said that she was going to get married.' 'This is the last time I'm coming here!'
To refer to a period in the (distant) past, use previously, formerly, many years ago, in the old days, etc : 'The new road changed people's lives enormously - previously the only way of reaching the village was on foot.' 'Zimbabwe was formerly known as Rhodesia.' 'In the old days the only way to get to India was by ship.'

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6.
BAD: The fire brigade arrived just on time, before the fire could spread.
GOOD: The fire brigade arrived just in time, before the fire could spread.
BAD: They had to rush to get to work in time.
GOOD: They had to rush to get to work on time.

Usage Note:
in time = not late; early enough: 'Make sure you arrive in time to see the beginning of the film.'
on time = (arriving) at the right time; punctual(ly): 'The train arrived at 17.28 - exactly on time.'

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7.
BAD: It didn't take a long time before we were back home again.
GOOD: It didn't take long before we were back home again.

Usage Note:
not take/be long (WITHOUT time ): 'The dinner won't be long - about another five minutes.'

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8.
BAD: Medical science is developing every time.
GOOD: Medical science is developing all the time.
BAD: I think about you every time.
GOOD: I think about you all the time.

Usage Note:
When you mean 'continuously', use all the time (NOT every time ): 'They seem to be arguing all the time.'
Compare: 'Every time I go skiing, I come home feeling years younger.'

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9.
See SPEND 1 (spend), 2

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10.
BAD: We went to the cinema to spend the time until the train arrived.
GOOD: We went to the cinema to pass the time until the train arrived.

Usage Note:
When you have nothing important to do and you spend time doing something in order to avoid being bored, you pass the time : 'At the airport we bought a pack of playing cards to help pass the time.'

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11.
BAD: We spent a very good time in New York.
GOOD: We had a very good time in New York.

Usage Note:
have a good/marvellous time (NOT spend ): 'In those days all I cared about was having a good time.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

period a particular time in history, especially one studied as a subject:
the late Victorian period
the interwar period
During that period many people moved from the countryside to the towns.
time a period of years, months, days etc:
The 1960s were a time of great social change.
the biggest earthquake in modern times
Verdun was an important city in Roman times.
age a long period, especially one that represents a particular stage in the development of civilization or technology:
the industrial age
We are now in the age of the Internet.
the Stone Age (=when people used tools made of stone)
era a long period that has a particular character or that is marked by particular events:
We live in an era of breathtaking change.
the post-war era
De Gaulle’s death marked the end of an era.
epoch /ˈiːpɒk $ ˈepək/ formal means the same as era, but sounds more formal and important:
We are now entering a new epoch in human history.
the colonial epoch
It was the end of an epoch.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

time a time when something happens or when you should do something:
The last time I saw her she was in high school.
It’s time for you to go to bed.
The best time to visit Scotland is in late May.
occasion a time when something happens. Occasion is more formal than time:
They have been seen together on several occasions.
The last occasion the two teams met, the Giants won easily.
moment a particular point in time when something happens:
At that moment (=at exactly that time), the door bell rang.
The next moment she was gone.
point a particular time during a longer period of time:
At one point during the play she completely forgot her lines.
the lowest point of the holiday
a long time a long period of time, especially many months or years:
They’ve been married a long time – nearly 30 years.
The house has been empty for a long time.
all day/night/year/week continuing for the whole day, night, year etc – used especially to emphasize that it is a long time:
It’s going to take me all night to finish this essay.
He’s in London all week, and only comes home at the weekends.
hours/weeks/months/years many hours, weeks, months, or years – used to emphasize that it is a long time, or much longer than it should be:
It’s years since I rode a bike.
My wife had to wait months for a hospital appointment.
ages especially British English informal a very long time:
I’ve been standing here for ages.
The software takes ages to load.
They’ve lived there for ages.
a while (also some time) a fairly long time:
I hadn’t seen Paul for a while, and he’d completely changed.
It may be some time before the company starts to make a profit.
the longest time American English a very long time:
For the longest time, my daughter wasn’t reading at all.
It took me the longest time to figure out how to work the sunroof in this car.
a minute/moment a short time:
I’ll call you back in a minute.
Can I show you something? It will only take a moment.
a second a very short time:
I’ll be ready in a second.
Just a second – I can’t find my wallet.
an instant written a very short time:
In an instant, they were gone.
He paused for an instant.
a little while/a short while a short period of time, especially a few hours, days, or weeks:
I’ve been to Tokyo, but I was only there for a short while.
I saw him a little while ago.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

time
taɪm
See: about time , against time , at a time , at one time , at the same time , at times , behind the times , behind time , bide one's time , big time , every time one turns around , for the time being , from time to time , give a hard time , have a time , high time , in good time , in no time , in the nick of time , in time , keep time , less than no time , live on borrowed time , make time , mark time , once upon a time , on one's own time , on time , pass the time of day , small-time , take one's time , two-time

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

TIME
Tears In My Eyes (ROFLOLPMPTIME) 
Things I Must Earn (AA)

[TahlilGaran] Acronyms and Abbreviations Dictionary ▲