top of the hour
24
3.0
- noun
:
en punto
- Coming up at the top of the hour, we've got the Ag Report, followed by Party Line.
- breaking news at the top of the hour
Examples
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We'll bring you more details as we get them, and we'll also have a live report at the top of the hour.
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More news and weather at the top of the hour.
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- Coming up at the top of the hour.
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Details at the top of the hour.
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All that and a look at sports at the top of the hour.
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Right at the top of the hour.
Fiction book (1992) -
It's now the top of the hour and you're tuned in to the evening news.
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On my local talk radio station, top-of-the-hour news is from CBS.
Blog text (29) -
AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR, HERE IN THE VALLEY, IT'S A BALMY 83 DEGREES.
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You can catch the live broadcast at the top of the hour.
How Specific
24
3.0
∞
1.0
- Specialized
∞
1.0
791
2.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase maps 'top' (highest point) onto the temporal interval 'hour', so a learner who knows 'top' and 'hour' can infer it means the beginning or exact point of the hour. This spatial-to-temporal mapping is common across languages and follows regular compositional patterns, making it immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
The phrase top of the hour comes from the image of a clock: when the clock hand reaches the very top (the 12), a new hour begins. Radio and TV used that clear moment to start news or shows, so top of the hour means 'exactly on the hour'.