time-out
noun
sport an interruption in play during which players rest, discuss tactics, or make substitutions
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time-out
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time out
time outA short break from work or play; also, a punishment for misbehavior in young children in which they are briefly separated from the group. For example, People rush around so much these days that I think everyone should take some time out now and then, or We don't throw food, Brian; you need some time out to think about it. This expression comes from a number of sports in which it signifies an interruption in play where the officials stop the clock, for purposes of rest, making a substitution, or consultation. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.
time-out
Britishnoun
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sport an interruption in play during which players rest, discuss tactics, or make substitutions
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a break taken during working hours
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computing a condition occurring when the amount of time a computer has been instructed to wait for another device to perform a task has expired, usually indicated by an error message
verb
time out
Idioms
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Calling for time-out as accusations flew and tempers flared, faithful John said: "Everyone stop talking just for 10 seconds and sit down, we've all gone from zero to 1,000 and it's just gone crazy."
From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026
But when the defendant walked in, Harvey asked for a time-out.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2025
“We’re on a time-out, and without really determined focus and deliberate diplomacy, this will be a very long intermission while both sides regroup and think about the next round.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2025
Samuel helps Romy off the floor and positions her in the corner of the room, like a child in time-out.
From Salon ● Dec. 30, 2024
A favorite trick of his was putting the time-out trash can on his head, then blindly knocking into walls.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
During his time out of the octagon, he observed how the division changed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Not their 3-0 opening defeat at Arsenal, because they can forget about that, but they must feel so deflated after losing 1-0 at home to another promoted side in Hull last time out.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
I think Fulham are going to be in a bit of bother this season, albeit they had some good spells against Chelsea last time out.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Riley, who was in his first head coaching job at Oklahoma, got the better of Patterson in each of their four meetings, piling up at least 498 total yards each time out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
“Too much time out west in the wide open. He thinks he's safer behind the walls in Baltimore than he is out here.”
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
