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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Hour Meaning, Examples, and Common Usage (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：a 60-minute period (hour)

hour 🔊
/aʊər/
n.
a period of time that is 60 minutes long, used to measure duration.
Analog clock showing hour as a 60-minute period with minute hand moving
a 60-minute period 🔊
➕
/ə ˌsɪksti ˈmɪnɪt ˈpɪriəd/
n.
A unit of time equal to 60 minutes, used to measure the duration of events or activities.
📁 Category：Time & Dates 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'hora' (time, season), via Old French 'hore'.
💡 Mnemonic
Hour sounds like 'our' – our time is precious.
📖 Example
She practiced the piano for an hour every day to improve her skills. 🔊 She practiced the piano for an hour every day to improve her skills.
🔗 Collocations
rush hour – the busiest time of day for traffic
lunch hour – the period of time set aside for eating lunch
happy hour – a period of the day when drinks are sold at reduced prices
🔄 Synonyms
time (n.) – a period of duration
period (n.) – a length or portion of time
moment (n.) – a very brief period of time
🚫 Antonyms
minute (n.) – a unit of time equal to 60 seconds, shorter than an hour
second (n.) – a unit of time equal to 1/60 of a minute
🌱 Derivatives
hourly (adj./adv.) – occurring every hour or paid by the hour
hourglass (n.) – a device that measures time using sand flowing from one bulb to another
hourlong (adj.) – lasting for one hour
📖 Cultural Story
The hour originates from Greek 'hōra' meaning any limited time period. Romans divided the day into 12 equal hours, later standardized to 60 minutes with mechanical clocks.

Meaning 2：a specific clock time (hour)

hour 🔊
/aʊər/
n.
a specific time of day or night, especially when it is exactly on the clock.
Digital alarm clock displaying 12:00 as a specific hour time
a specific clock time 🔊
➕
/ə spəˈsɪfɪk klɑːk taɪm/
n.
A particular point in time as indicated by a clock, especially when it is exactly at the beginning of an hour (e.g., 1:00, 2:00).
📁 Category：Time & Dates 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example
The train departs on the hour, so be sure to arrive by 9:00 AM sharp. 🔊 The train departs on the hour, so be sure to arrive by 9:00 AM sharp.
🔗 Collocations
on the hour – at exactly the time when the minute hand points to 12
top of the hour – the beginning of an hour, often used in broadcasting
half hour – a period of 30 minutes or the midpoint of an hour
🔄 Synonyms
o'clock (adv.) – used to indicate the exact hour in telling time
time (n.) – a specific point in the day indicated by a clock
moment (n.) – a particular point in time
🚫 Antonyms
minute (n.) – a unit of time equal to 60 seconds; not referring to a specific clock time
🌱 Derivatives
hourly (adj./adv.) – occurring every hour
hourhand (n.) – the shorter hand on a clock indicating the hour
hourmark (n.) – a mark or number indicating the hours on a clock dial
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