Showing results for "time-out"

• a variation of timeout.

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• time-out
  time-out

  noun

  sport an interruption in play during which players rest, discuss tactics, or make substitutions
• time out
  time out

  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.

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

See Examples For:

time-out time out

But a medical time-out and a massage appeared to solve the problem and the 39-year-old was still fighting hard four sets later against fourth seed Auger-Aliassime.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

The public saw all that and could only wonder: Hasn’t C.K.’s time-out lasted long enough?

From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026

After the medical time-out, Alcaraz broke serve in the very next game to move two sets up, before rattling quickly through the third set to complete victory.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 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

Coach Watts calls time-out and is now screaming at his starters about running an offense.

From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick

Personal circumstances can change too, such as losing a job, having to take time out to care for a loved one, or illness of your own.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026

Russell said after the British Grand Prix last time out, where Antonelli suffered a second problem in three races that prevented him scoring, that the issues had now pretty much equalised across the two cars.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

So I’ll spend a little time out there, too.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

Beijing has invested heavily in its coast guard, which now has bigger ships with bigger guns that can spend more time out at sea, including the world’s longest patrol vessels.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Like magic, you could stretch time out when we needed it, so that a moment felt endless.

From "The Bridge Home" by Padma Venkatraman

Related Words

• breather
• letup
• lull