hour
hour — noun
1. a unit made up of sixty minutes, used for measuring how much time passes
a unit made up of sixty minutes, used for measuring how much time passes
The flight from Taipei to Hong Kong takes about two hours.
takes about [number] hours — travel duration pattern
Diego waited for over an hour at the bus stop this morning.
There are twenty-four hours in one full day.
The meeting lasted one full hour, from two until three.
Every hour, the nurse came to check on Bao's temperature.
文法句型
[number] hour(s)
an hour
half an hour
2. used to say how much time before or after the present moment something happens,
used to say how much time before or after the present moment something happens, measured in sixty-minute blocks
The train leaves in an hour, so we need to hurry.
in an hour — future from now
Joshua called an hour ago to say he would be late.
an hour ago — past from now
The restaurant opened just an hour ago, and it is already full.
Hari promised to finish the report within the next hour.
Ilan said the delivery would arrive in about two hours.
文法句型
in [number] hour(s)
[number] hour(s) ago
within an hour
用法筆記
Use 'in' (not 'after') to mean 'X hours from now'. For example, 'I will see you in an hour' means one hour from the present moment, while 'after an hour' usually refers to a past time or a point within a story.
常見錯誤
3. the times during the day that a shop, school, or other place welcomes visitors o
the times during the day that a shop, school, or other place welcomes visitors or runs its planned services
The library's opening hours are from nine in the morning to six.
opening hours — standard collocation for business times
Eleni checked the store's business hours before going shopping.
Office hours for student advising are Monday through Friday, ten to four.
The gym has extended its hours during the summer months.
Please call during regular business hours if you need help.
- opening times
interchangeable with 'opening hours', more common in British English for retail
- business hours
specifically for commercial and professional settings
文法句型
opening hours
business hours
office hours
[possessive] hours
用法筆記
Often appears in the plural form 'hours' when referring to scheduled opening times. Common compounds include 'opening hours', 'business hours', 'office hours', and 'visiting hours'.
常見錯誤
4. a single point within a twenty-four-hour cycle, often described with an adjectiv
a single point within a twenty-four-hour cycle, often described with an adjective such as 'late', 'early', or 'odd'
The car accident happened in the early hours of Sunday morning.
early hours — time of day with adjective
Yasmin does not like receiving phone calls at such a late hour.
In the quiet hours before dawn, the city feels empty.
Omar worked until the small hours of the morning.
The bar stays open until all hours of the night.
文法句型
[adjective] hour(s)
the early hours
the small hours
at all hours
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (OPENING TIMES): this sense refers to any point in the day-night cycle, whereas sense 3 specifically names scheduled operational periods. Common expressions like 'the small hours' (approximately 1–4 a.m.) and 'the witching hour' are tied to this sense.
常見錯誤
5. the number of hours a person spends working each day, or the portion of each day
the number of hours a person spends working each day, or the portion of each day they devote to their job or usual activities
Reuben keeps very long hours at the hospital where he works.
keeps long hours — fixed phrase for work schedule
The company allows employees to work flexible hours.
Daycare workers put in eight-hour shifts every weekday.
After years of keeping late hours, Christopher decided to change his routine.
Sophia's job requires her to work irregular hours, including weekends.
文法句型
keep (regular/long/strange) hours
work (long/flexible/irregular) hours
[number]-hour day/shift/week
用法筆記
Commonly paired with 'keep' (e.g., 'keep long hours', 'keep regular hours') or 'work' (e.g., 'work flexible hours'). The plural form is standard for this meaning. 'Keep late hours' specifically means going to bed very late.
常見錯誤
6. used informally to describe a very long period, especially when someone waits, s
used informally to describe a very long period, especially when someone waits, searches, or does something for what feels like too long
Linh waited for hours at the airport before her flight was called.
for hours — hyperbolic duration
The children played in the park for hours without getting tired.
Hari spent hours trying to fix a problem with his computer.
It took them hours to drive through the heavy traffic.
Ilan searched for his missing wallet for hours before finding it in his coat.
- ages
equally informal and hyperbolic; 'ages' can sound even longer than 'hours'
- an eternity
stronger and more dramatic than 'hours'; used for emphasis in emotional contexts
文法句型
for hours
for hours on end
hours and hours
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form. This sense is informal and hyperbolic — it emphasises that the time felt long rather than stating an exact number of minutes. Do not use this sense in formal or technical writing about precise durations.
常見錯誤
7. very early or very late times of the day or night — used when talking about some
very early or very late times of the day or night — used when talking about someone who does something, makes noise, or arrives at times that most people find unsociable, especially when it happens again and again
Amihan's neighbours often play loud music at all hours of the night.
phrase: at all hours of [time period]
A delivery driver on this route works at all hours, bringing packages even before sunrise.
Nikhil complained that the construction team was drilling at all hours of the morning.
Jiwoo told her flatmate not to call friends at all hours when others are asleep.
- unsociable hours
more formal, often used in employment contexts (e.g. shift work)
- early hours
narrower — refers only to the period just after midnight
文法句型
at all hours (of the [time period])
用法筆記
Always appears in the fixed phrase 'at all hours'. Common in complaints or descriptions of repeated disturbances during unsociable time periods. Distinguish from sense 4 (A PARTICULAR TIME), which refers to a single specified time without the implication of disturbance.
常見錯誤
8. a particular time when something very important or decisive happens, often in a
a particular time when something very important or decisive happens, often in a person's life or in a historical event — used in fixed phrases such as 'someone's finest hour', 'the darkest hour', or 'the hour of need'
The team's unexpected victory over the champions was their finest hour.
fixed phrase: finest hour
In her hour of need, Élise turned to her closest friends for help and comfort.
fixed phrase: hour of need
Many historians regard that speech as the president's finest hour of the crisis.
Andrés knew this was his hour of decision and he could not delay.
The rescue team arrived during the community's darkest hour to help survivors.
文法句型
[possessive] + [adjective] + hour
hour of [abstract noun]
用法筆記
The 'hour' in this sense is metaphorical, not a literal 60-minute period. Frequently appears in formal or literary registers. Distinguish from sense 1 (60 MINUTES), which refers to a measurable unit of time.
常見錯誤
9. the distance from one place to another expressed in terms of how long it takes t
the distance from one place to another expressed in terms of how long it takes to travel that distance, especially by a particular form of transport
The nearest hospital is three hours away by car from the village.
pattern: [number] hours away by [transport]
Christopher's office is only half an hour from his apartment by bike.
Tariq estimated that the mountain camp was about two hours away on foot.
The beach is a short hour's drive from the city centre along the coast.
Owen calculated that the airport was still an hour's journey from their hotel.
- distance
more general, can use any unit (km, miles, time)
- journey time
more formal, used in travel schedules
文法句型
[number] + hour(s) + away + by/on [transport]
[number] + hour(s) + [transport] + ride/drive/journey
用法筆記
Subject is typically a location or destination. The time measurement depends on the mode of transport — specifying the form of transport (car, bus, bike, on foot) is important for clarity. Distinguish from sense 1 (60 MINUTES), which measures time itself rather than distance.