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🎉 An occasion 🕒 Available period ⏳ Ongoing progress 🚔 Prison sentence ⏱️ To measure duration 🎵 Musical rhythm
time

time

353 9.1
A period spent in prison as punishment
  • noun
  • /taɪm/
  • Informal
: condena
  • You were in prison a long time.
  • serve time
  • jail time
  • time in prison

And I've done serious time, so I've paid for.

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Examples

  • I feel like you need, like, time in jail for this.

  • You know when I woke up in jail the last time, I asked them what I did.

    Academic text (1991)

  • The offer on his particular case would be time served, which is the day he spent in jail, and a fine, and that would be it.

    The Place Beyond the Pines (2013)

  • It might save you some prison time.

    Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

  • In September, Nifong spent a brief time behind bars for having lied to the court.

    Academic text (2008)

  • If it were up to me, you'd be doing time with Mr. Snyder.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • After serving his time, he felt ready to reintegrate into society.

  • The judge sentenced her to six months of time in prison for her crime.

  • He had to do time for his involvement in the robbery.

Synonyms

term
vstime
∞ 5.8

A fixed period of time during which something happens, for example a school session or a prison sentence

is limited to periods of imprisonment as legal punishment
sentence
vstime
  • Specialized
768 7.0

Punishment a court gives to someone found guilty, often prison time

focuses on the actual period served rather than the court's judgment
prison term
vstime
21 4.2

A period of time someone must spend in jail as punishment for a crime

is the common everyday phrase rather than the formal legal phrase
hard time
vstime
  • Informal
13 8.2

A period in prison that is especially severe

is a general label for serving a prison period without emphasizing harsh conditions

Idioms

all the time
∞ 1.0

Happens without stopping

one time
∞ 1.0

On a single occasion

at the same time
∞ 1.0

During the same time or moment

at a time
757 1.0

Together in a single group

in time
634 1.1

Before the last moment, early enough not to be late

on time
426 1.0

At the expected time

one more time
413 1.0

Again on another occasion

one at a time
381 1.9

Handle each person or thing in turn, not all at once

at the same time
373 3.4

Shows a contrast with what was just said

in time
257 3.5

After some time has passed, not right away

about time
  • Informal
249 4.9

Say this when something happens later than it should

from time to time
228 1.4

Happens sometimes but not regularly

of all time
228 3.2

A phrase people use to say someone or something is the best ever

just in time
188 3.5

At the last moment before it is too late

a matter of time
177 3.2

It will certainly happen, but you do not know when

in no time
156 1.3

Very quickly, in a short time

at one time
147 2.8

In the past

time and again
  • Informal
123 1.8

Happens again and again

for the time being
96 3.4

For now until the situation changes

when the time comes
90 2.9

At the right moment to do something

ahead of time
82 2.3

Earlier than planned or expected

time and time again
  • Informal
68 1.8

Very often on many occasions

any time soon
65 3.3

Not likely to happen in the near future

every single time
57 1.0

Something happens on every occasion without exception

at one time
52 2.5

Happening at the same time

at this point in time
51 3.5

At the present time

right on time
46 1.2

At exactly the planned time

one step at a time
37 2.8

To do a task slowly, handling each part before the next

high time
  • Informal
36 3.8

The moment when something should finally happen because it is overdue

time will tell
32 3.3

What happens becomes clear later

wrong place at the wrong time
31 7.5

To be in a place where trouble happens by chance

time of day
  • Informal
27 8.3

A simple sign of attention or notice, often not given to someone

right place at the right time
  • Informal
25 3.9

Being where luck gives you the best chance to do well

in good time
24 3.2

Happen at the right time, neither too late nor too early

to give the time of day
  • Informal
23 8.1

Show no attention or respect to someone

time on someone's side
19 6.7

Lots of time that helps you succeed

double time
18 2.9

At twice the normal speed to move or work

in due time
  • Formal
15 3.4

Something happens at the right time

any time now
14 1.6

Likely to happen at any moment

in record time
14 3.4

Happens very quickly, faster than usual

in the nick of time
  • Informal
14 3.5

Just before it is too late

before my time
13 6.1

Something that happened before you were born or before you knew about it

no time to waste
13 3.3

A situation that needs action right away

against time
  • Informal
12 3.8

Working quickly to finish something before a deadline

to take one day at a time
  • Informal
12 3.6

Focus on today and do not worry about the future

time of it
  • Informal
12 8.1

A period when someone has many problems to deal with

pressed for time
  • Informal
11 4.2

When you have very little time you need to hurry

better luck next time
  • Informal
11 4.1

A friendly phrase that wishes someone more success next time

race against time
  • Informal
11 4.5

A situation where people must finish something quickly before it is too late

short on time
10 3.3

Not having enough time to do what you need

in time
9 2.2

At the right beat so movement matches the music

to have a time of it
  • UK
8 8.2

Find it very difficult to do something

Compounds

first time
∞ 1.0

An occasion when someone does or experiences something they have not done before

long time
∞ 1.0

A period lasting many days or years

a long time
∞ 1.0

A period that lasts much longer than usual

good time
886 1.0

A time when people have fun

hard time
522 2.9

A period when someone has difficulty or trouble

all-time
421 4.2

Better, worse, or higher than anything before now

full-time
407 2.6

For the whole normal working time for a job or course

time of year
259 1.0

A part of the year when the weather and daily life are similar

waste of time
229 2.7

An activity that takes time but does not help you

plenty of time
209 1.2

More than enough time to finish something without rushing

time off
184 1.6

A time when you are not working, often to rest or recover

part-time
176 1.6

Working fewer hours than in a full-time job

difficult time
169 3.1

A period when someone faces problems or a lot of stress

time out
154 2.3

A short break from an activity to rest or talk about what to do next

big time
  • Informal
131 4.1

A very successful level in entertainment or sport where people become famous

real time
  • Specialized
125 3.7

The time when you get information at once, for example stock prices or a heart rate

time period
124 2.2

A length of time that includes certain events

point in time
123 3.3

An exact moment when something happens

free time
119 1.0

A time when you are not working and can do things you enjoy

time travel
117 5.5

An act of moving from one time to another, often to the past or future

long-time
116 3.2

Being in the same job, relationship, or role for many years

time being
111 3.0

A short time that lasts for now

time machine
  • Literature
107 6.5

An imaginary machine that lets a person go to the past or future

time frame
93 3.1

A fixed period when something happens or is expected to happen

prime time
93 3.1

Evening time when most people watch television

time of day
84 1.0

The exact hour when something happens

Eastern Time
  • US
81 2.4

The time used in the eastern United States, for example New York

time of life
  • Informal
77 4.3

A very enjoyable experience you remember

time-out
73 3.2

A short break in a game when play stops so players rest or talk about their plan

real-time
  • Specialized
72 4.3

Processing or showing information immediately as it arrives

part-time
67 1.4

For fewer hours than in a full-time job

space-time
  • Specialized
66 7.9

A way of seeing space and time as one thing

spare time
64 1.0

Time when you are not working or busy and can choose what to do

time zone
55 2.0

An area of the world that uses the same clock time

time limit
52 2.7

A set time by which you must finish something

time bomb
34 4.6

A problem that will become dangerous in the future if not fixed

show time
31 1.1

The time when a movie or play starts

quiet time
31 3.7

A short time that is calm and quiet for rest or thinking

time capsule
29 4.4

A container buried to show people in the future what life was like today

local time
29 1.6

Official clock time used in a place because of its time zone

time to come
27 3.6

The time that comes after now

game time
  • Informal
26 2.7

The moment when an important activity is about to start

response time
  • Specialized
26 3.9

Time between seeing or hearing something and acting

time slot
24 2.7

A planned period for an event or activity

closing time
23 2.2

The time when a shop or other place stops serving customers and closes

great deal of time
23 2.8

A long time spent doing something

time-honored
21 4.7

Valued and kept because people have done it for a long time

time of life
21 3.8

A stage in a person's life with typical experiences

time bomb
20 3.4

A bomb set to explode at a fixed time

Central Time
  • US
19 3.2

Time used in the central United States and some parts of Canada and Mexico, one hour behind Eastern Time

half-time
19 3.2

Working or happening for only half the usual hours

mean time
  • Specialized
19 8.7

Time kept by an imaginary sun that moves evenly across the sky to set clocks

travel time
18 1.9

The time it takes to go from one place to another

standard time
18 3.0

Official time used in a region instead of daylight saving time

face time
  • Jargon
17 4.0

Time spent in the same place with the people you work with

time scale
15 3.9

A way of showing how long events take and when they happen

leisure time
14 2.0

Free time when you are not working and can relax or do things you like

time to leave
14 1.0

The moment when you should leave a place

screen time
14 3.0

Time spent using devices with screens like phones or TVs

space-time continuum
  • Specialized
14 8.1

A four-dimensional framework that joins space and time where events happen

crunch time
  • Informal
14 4.2

A short time when people must work very hard to finish something

borrowed time
  • Informal
14 6.0

A short extra time someone or something has after it was expected to end

Pacific Time
  • US
13 2.8

A time zone eight hours behind GMT used in the western United States and parts of Canada

hard time
  • Informal
13 8.2

A period in prison that is especially severe

reaction time
11 3.7

The time between seeing or hearing something and acting on it

starting time
11 1.8

The planned time when something begins

work time
11 2.4

The hours when a person must work for their job

that time of the month
  • Informal
10 6.8

The time when a woman has her monthly period

running time
10 3.1

The length of a movie, TV show, or performance from beginning to end

breakfast time
9 1.0

Time of day when people eat breakfast

harvest time
9 1.0

The time of year when farmers gather crops from fields

time clock
9 3.2

A machine that records when workers start and finish work

lead time
  • Specialized
9 4.5

The time between starting and finishing a process often used in business

How Long

life sentence
83 5.7
time
  • Informal
353 9.1
sentence
  • Specialized
768 7.0

Surface Forms

time singular
times plural

Etymology

Time meant a 'period', and in law it came to mean the period someone must spend in prison, so to 'do time' is to serve that period as punishment. That's why 'time' can mean years spent in jail.