second 1
— seconder , n.
/sek"euhnd/ , adj.
1. next after the first; being the ordinal number for two.
2. being the latter of two equal parts.
3. next after the first in place, time, or value: the second house from the corner.
4. next after the first in rank, grade, degree, status, or importance: the second person in the company.
5. alternate: I have my hair cut every second week.
6. inferior.
7. Gram. noting or pertaining to the second person.
8. Music. being the lower of two parts for the same instrument or voice: second horn; second alto.
9. other or another: a second Solomon.
10. Auto. of, pertaining to, or operating at the gear transmission ratio at which drive shaft speed is greater than that of low gear but not so great as that of other gears for a given engine crankshaft speed: second gear.
n.
11. a second part.
12. the second member of a series.
13. a person who aids or supports another; assistant; backer.
14. Boxing. a person who, between rounds of a prizefight, gives aid, advice, etc., to a boxer.
15. a person who serves as a representative or attendant of a duelist.
16. Auto. second gear.
17. a person or thing that is next after the first in place, time, or value.
18. a person or thing that is next after the first in rank, grade, degree, status, or importance.
19. Usually, seconds . an additional helping of food: He had seconds on the meat and potatoes.
20. (in parliamentary procedure)
a. a person who expresses formal support of a motion so that it may be discussed or put to a vote.
b. an act or instance of doing this.
21. (in certain British universities) a type or grade of college degree granted according to a student's performance on specific written and oral examinations.
22. Music.
a. a tone on the next degree from a given tone.
b. the interval between such tones.
c. the harmonic combination of such tones.
d. the lower of two parts in a piece of concerted music.
e. a voice or instrument performing such a part.
f. an alto.
23. Usually, seconds . goods below the first or highest quality, esp. containing visible flaws. Cf. first (def. 19), third (def. 12).
24. Metall. a piece of somewhat defective but salable tin plate.
25. Baseball. See second base .
v.t.
26. to assist or support.
27. to further or advance, as aims.
28. (in parliamentary procedure) to express formal support of (a motion, proposal, etc.), as a necessary preliminary to further discussion or to voting.
29. to act as second to (a boxer, duelist, etc.).
adv.
30. in the second place, group, etc.; secondly: The catcher is batting second.
[ 1250-1300; ME (adj., n. and adv.) secundus following, next, second, equiv. to sec- (base of sequi to follow) + -undus adj. suffix ]
Syn. 13. aide, helper, agent, deputy.
second 2
/sek"euhnd/ , n.
1. the sixtieth part of a minute of time.
2. a moment or instant: It takes only a second to phone.
3. the basic unit of time in the International System of Units, equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 cycles of radiation in a transition, or energy level change, of the cesium atom. Symbol: s, S; Abbr.: sec
4. Geom. , Astron. the sixtieth part of a minute of angular measure, often represented by the sign ", as in 30", which is read as 30 seconds. Cf. angle 1 (def. 1c).
[ 1350-1400; ME seconde secunda ( minuta ) second (minute), fem. of secundus SECOND 1 ]
Syn. 2. jiffy, trice, wink, flash.
second 3
/si kond"/ , v.t.
Brit. to transfer (an officer, official, or the like) temporarily to another post.
[ 1795-1805; second, n. use of the adj. in the phrase en second, as in lieutenant en second second lieutenant; see SECOND 1 ]