time-out

British  

noun

1. sport an interruption in play during which players rest, discuss tactics, or make substitutions

2. a break taken during working hours

3. 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

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verb

1. (intr) (of a computer) to stop operating because of a time-out

time out Idioms  

1. A 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.

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Example Sentences

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

“When we finally got let out of our collective time-out corner, we really wanted to go do stuff,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2025

Plus, as Salon's Melanie McFarland noted in a commentary about comedians who have reaped the unexpected benefits of cancel culture, DeGeneres' industry ousting "mostly amounts to a time-out."

From Salon • Sep. 24, 2024

My mother says that being married to my father is like having another child to watch after, one who’s too big and unpredictable to put in time-out.

From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen

Related Words

• breather
• letup
• lull