second

second
second1
—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.
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.) < OF (adj.) < L secundus following, next, second, equiv. to sec- (base of sequi to follow) + -undus adj. suffix]
Syn. 13. aide, helper, agent, deputy.
second2
/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. angle1 (def. 1c).
[1350-1400; ME seconde < MF < ML secunda (minuta) second (minute), fem. of secundus SECOND1]
Syn. 2. jiffy, trice, wink, flash.
second3
/si kond"/, v.t.
Brit. to transfer (an officer, official, or the like) temporarily to another post.
[1795-1805; < F second, n. use of the adj. in the phrase en second, as in lieutenant en second second lieutenant; see SECOND1]

* * *

(as used in expressions)
Second Empire Baroque
Marne Second Battle of the
Northern War Second
Persian Gulf War Second
Vatican Council Second

* * *

▪ unit of time
      fundamental unit of time, now defined in terms of the radiation (radiation measurement) frequency at which atoms of the element cesium change from one state to another.

      The second was formerly defined as 1/86,400 of the mean solar day—i.e., the average period of rotation of the Earth on its axis relative to the Sun. In the mid-20th century this definition became inadequate because of the need for increased precision in timekeeping. In 1956 the second was redefined by the International Committee on Weights and Measures as 1/31,556,925.9747 of the length of the tropical (seasonal) year 1900. In 1967 the 13th General Conference on Weights and Measures provisionally defined the second as 9,192,631,770 cycles of radiation associated with the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium-133 atom (see atomic time). The number of cycles of radiation was chosen to make the length of the defined second correspond as closely as possible to that of the now obsolete astronomically determined second of Ephemeris Time (defined as the fraction of the tropical year given above). As the rate of rotation of the Earth constantly changes, it is necessary to occasionally add (or theoretically to subtract) a second during the year to ensure the atomic timescale Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) stays in synchronization with nature. This represents the sole definition of the second in the International System of Units (SI).

Jonathan D. Betts
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?
Synonyms:
(in place or in time), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , / , , , , / ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • second — second, onde [ s(ə)gɔ̃, ɔ̃d ] adj. et n. • XIIe; secunt 1119; lat. secundus « suivant », de sequi « suivre » I ♦ Adj. (généralt avant le nom) et n. 1 ♦ Qui vient après une chose de même nature; qui suit le premier. ⇒ deuxième(on emploie …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • second — second, onde (se gon, gon d ; au XVIIe siècle, Marg. Buffet, Observ. p. 131, regarde comme une faute de prononcer le c comme un g ; au contraire, Chifflet, Gramm. p. 225, dit que le c se prononce comme un g ; le d se lie : un se gon t avis ;… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • second — SECOND, [sec]onde. adj. numeral. Qui est immediatement aprés premier. Dans ce mot & dans ses derivez le C. se prononce comme un G. Il n est pas le premier, il n est que le second. le second livre. le second President. le second Capitaine. la… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Second — Sec ond, a. [F., fr. L. secundus second, properly, following, fr. sequi to follow. See {Sue} to follow, and cf. {Secund}.] 1. Immediately following the first; next to the first in order of place or time; hence, occurring again; another; other.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • second — second1 [sek′ənd] adj. [ME secunde < OFr < L secundus, following, second < sequi, to follow: see SEQUENT] 1. coming next after the first in order of place or time; 2d or 2nd 2. another; other; additional; supplementary [to take a second… …   English World dictionary

  • second — Ⅰ. second [1] ► ORDINAL NUMBER 1) constituting number two in a sequence; 2nd. 2) subordinate or inferior in position, rank, or importance. 3) (seconds) goods of an inferior quality. 4) (seconds) informal a second course or second helping of food… …   English terms dictionary

  • Second — Sec ond, n. 1. One who, or that which, follows, or comes after; one next and inferior in place, time, rank, importance, excellence, or power. [1913 Webster] Man An angel s second, nor his second long. Young. [1913 Webster] 2. One who follows or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • SECOND (J.) — SECOND JEAN (1511 1536) Né à La Haye, ce grand poète néo latin de son vrai nom Jean Everaerts est européen par ses voyages, dont ses propres relations nous transmettent l’itinéraire daté. Sa première jeunesse a pour cadre Malines, mais dès 1532… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Second — Sec ond, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Seconded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Seconding}.] [Cf. F. seconder, L. secundare, from secundus. See {Second}, a.] 1. To follow in the next place; to succeed; to alternate. [R.] [1913 Webster] In the method of nature, a low… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • second — [adj] next; subordinate additional, alternative, another, double, duplicate, extra, following, further, inferior, lesser, lower, next in order, other, place, repeated, reproduction, runner up, secondary, subsequent, succeeding, supporting, twin,… …   New thesaurus

  • Second — (en castellano: segundo) puede referirse a: Second, banda española. Second Coming (1994), álbum de The Stone Roses. Véase también Segundo, desambiguación. Esta página de desambiguación cataloga artículos relacionados con el mismo …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”