ˈau̇(ə)r, ˈau̇ə, especially in the South ˈau̇wə(r noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English our, hour, from Old French ore, ure, hore, hure, heure, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin hora canonical hour, from Latin, season of the year, time of day, part of the day, hour, from Greek hōra — more at year
1. hours plural
a. : the times of the day ecclesiastically set for prayer (as matins and vespers) — see canonical hour
b. : the prayers appointed for such times
book of hours
2.
a. obsolete : the 12th part of the time between sunrise and sunset or between sunset and sunrise and hence of varying duration
b. : the 24th part of a mean solar day : 60 minutes of mean solar time
3.
a. : the time of day expressed in hours and minutes as indicated by a timepiece
the hour is half past ten
what are you doing here at this hour
specifically : the number of full hours elapsed since noon or midnight
the clock has just struck the hour
b. : the time reckoned from midnight to midnight — used chiefly in the armed services
dinner would come about 1700 hours — Infantry Journal
a conference at 0900 hours
4.
a. : a fixed, stated, or customary time or period of time
hours of business
during his leisure hours
cocktail hour
b. : a particular time
help in his hour of need
hottest hours of the day
c. hours plural : time of going to bed
late hours ruined his health
keep early hours out here in the country
5. : one twelfth of a natural day or of a natural night as determined by sunrise and sunset and assigned in astrology to the special influence of a planet — called also inequal hour, planetary hour
6.
a. : 60 minutes of sidereal time
b. : an angular unit of right ascension equal to 15 degrees measured along the equinoctial
7. : a unit of measure of work equal to the normal amount done in an hour (as a token of presswork)
8. : a measure of distance estimated by the time normally taken to cover it
the city was two hours away
9.
a. : a class session or period
hour tests, lasting fifty minutes each, are given several times during the semester
b. : credit hour , semester hour
three- hour course
•
- after hours
- on the hour