big time

American  

noun

1. Informal.  the highest or most important level in any profession or occupation.

   She's a talented violinist, but she's not ready for the big time.

2. Slang.  a very good time.

3. Theater.  (in vaudeville) any highly successful circuit of theaters that produces two performances daily.

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big time British  

noun

1. informal

   1. the highest or most profitable level of an occupation or profession, esp the entertainment business

   2. ( as modifier )

      a big-time comedian

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big time Idioms  

1. An enjoyable or exciting time, as in The children came home exhausted but happy; they really had a big time at the circus . [Mid-1800s]

2. The highest or most important level in any enterprise, as in I knew that when I made it through the last audition, I was finally in the big time . [ Colloquial ; c. 1900] Also see big league .

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Other Word Forms

• big-time adjective
• big-timer noun

Etymology

Origin of big time

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65

Example Sentences

That purchase has paid off big time for Meta, which has also navigated the transition to new content forms, like Reels, that were initially a drag on revenue.

From MarketWatch

A cyberattack that halted Range Rover production for more than a month cost the SUV brand’s owner big time.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The times with Wings were exciting because we built up to it and eventually we hit the big time," he said.

From BBC

"I then upgraded to working out of a stable for a little while in the rural parts of Essex, and eventually made it 'big time' and got a unit on a turkey farm."

From BBC

“You hear a wall of screaming people. It’s a big time.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• big league