time-out

See also time out, and timeout

English

Wikipedia

Alternative forms

• timeout (especially US)
• times out (UK/CW only)

Etymology

• time + out

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /ˈtaɪm.aʊt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

time-out (plural time-outs)

1. (sports) A short break in the action of a sport, for substitution, consultation, etc.

   We're being beaten! We need a time-out!

2. A break from a tense, heated or stressful situation (often enforced, sometimes as a disciplinary measure); a cooling-off period.

   I'm going to take a brief time-out from this job.

   Hitting people is not acceptable! Go to your room and take a time-out!

3. (communication) The intentional ending of an incomplete task after a time limit considered a long enough for it to end normally.

Derived terms

• time-out room, timeout room

Translations

in sports

Finnish: aikalisä (fi) French: arrêt de jeu (fr) m., temps mort (fr) m.

Turkish: mola (tr)

break from a heated or stressful situation

Japanese: タイムアウト (ja) (taimuauto)

intentional ending of an incomplete task after a time limit