time and a half

noun

1. a rate of pay for overtime work equal to one and one half times the regular hourly wage.

time and a half

noun

1. the rate of pay equalling one and a half times the normal rate, often offered for overtime work

Word History and Origins

Origin of time and a half¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Idioms and Phrases

A rate of pay for overtime work that is one and one-half times higher than the regular hourly wage, as in I don't mind working Sunday so long as I get time and a half. This expression uses time in the sense of “the number of hours worked.” [c. 1885]