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second

 - 11 dictionary results

sec⋅ond

1  [sek-uhnd]
Use second in a Sentence
–adjective
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. Grammar. 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. Automotive. 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.
–noun
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. Automotive. 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. Compare first (def. 16), third (def. 12).
24. Metallurgy. a piece of somewhat defective but salable tin plate.
25. Baseball. second base.
–verb (used with object)
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.).
–adverb
30. in the second place, group, etc.; secondly: The catcher is batting second.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME (adj., n. and adv.) < OF (adj.) < L secundus following, next, second, equiv. to sec- (base of sequī to follow) + -undus adj. suffix

Related forms:
sec⋅ond⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
13. aide, helper, agent, deputy.

sec⋅ond

2  [sek-uhnd]
–noun
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; Abbreviation: sec
4. Geometry, Astronomy. the sixtieth part of a minute of angular measure, often represented by the sign ″, as in 30″, which is read as 30 seconds. Compare angle 1 (def. 1c).
Origin:
1350–1400; ME seconde < MF < ML secunda (minūta) second (minute), fem. of secundus second 1

Synonyms:
2. jiffy, trice, wink, flash.

se⋅cond

3  [si-kond]
–verb (used with object)
British. to transfer (an officer, official, or the like) temporarily to another post.
Origin:
1795–1805; < F second, n. use of the adj. in the phrase en second, as in lieutenant en second second lieutenant; see second 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To second
sec·ond 1   (sěk'ənd)   
n.  

  1. Abbr. sec.

    1. A unit of time equal to one sixtieth of a minute.

    2. The time needed for a cesium-133 atom to perform 9,192,631,770 complete oscillations. See Table at measurement.

  2. A brief interval of time; a moment. See Synonyms at moment.

  3. Abbr. s Mathematics A unit of angular measure equal to one sixtieth of a minute.


[Middle English seconde, from Old French, from Medieval Latin (pars minūta) secunda, second (small part), feminine of Latin secundus, second, following; see second2.]
sec·ond 2   (sěk'ənd)   
adj.  

  1. Coming next after the first in order, place, rank, time, or quality.

    1. Repeating an initial instance: a second chance.

    2. Reminiscent of one that is well known: a second George Washington; a second Waterloo.

    3. Alternate; other: every second year.

    4. Having a lower pitch.

    5. Singing or playing a part having a lower range.

  3. Inferior to another; subordinate: second vice president at the bank; a leader second to none.

  4. Music

    1. Having a lower pitch.

    2. Singing or playing a part having a lower range.

  5. Having the second-highest ratio. Used of gears in a sequence.

n.  

    1. The ordinal number matching the number 2 in a series.

    2. One of two equal parts.

    3. The interval between consecutive tones on the diatonic scale.

    4. A tone separated by this interval from another tone.

    5. A combination of two such tones in notation or in harmony.

    6. The second part, instrument, or voice in a harmonized composition.

  2. One that is next in order, place, time, or quality after the first.

  3. An article of merchandise of inferior quality. Often used in the plural.

  4. The official attendant of a contestant in a duel or boxing match. See Synonyms at assistant.

  5. Music

    1. The interval between consecutive tones on the diatonic scale.

    2. A tone separated by this interval from another tone.

    3. A combination of two such tones in notation or in harmony.

    4. The second part, instrument, or voice in a harmonized composition.

  6. An utterance of endorsement, as to a parliamentary motion.

  7. The transmission gear or gear ratio used to produce forward speeds higher than those of first and lower than those of third in a motor vehicle.

  8. or seconds Informal A second serving of food.

  9. Baseball Second base.

tr.v.   sec·ond·ed, sec·ond·ing, sec·onds

  1. To attend (a duelist or a boxer) as an aide or assistant.

  2. To promote or encourage; reinforce.

  3. To endorse (a motion or nomination) as a required preliminary to discussion or vote.

  4. (sĭ-kŏnd') Chiefly British To transfer (a military officer, for example) temporarily.

adv.  

  1. In the second order, place, or rank: finished second.

  2. But for one other; save one: the second highest peak.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin secundus; see sekw-1 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

second  (adj.)
"after first," 1297, from O.Fr. second, from L. secundus "following, next in order," from root of sequi "follow" (see sequel). Replaced native other (q.v.) in this sense because of the ambiguousness of the earlier word. Second-hand is from 1474; second-rate is from 1669, originally of ships (see rate); second sight is from 1616; an etymologically perverse term, since it means in reality the sight of events before, not after, they occur. Second fiddle first attested 1809.

second  (n.)
"one-sixtieth of a minute," 1391, from O.Fr. seconde, from M.L. secunda, short for secunda pars minuta "second diminished part," the result of the second division of the hour by sixty (the first being the "prime minute," now called the minute), from L. secunda, fem. of secundus (see second (adj.)). Shortened form sec first recorded 1860.

second  (v.)
"to further, to support," 1586, "to support or represent in a duel, fight, etc.," from M.Fr. seconder, from L. secundare "to assist, make favorable," from secundus "assisting, favorable, following, second" (see second (adj.)). the noun in this sense is first recorded 1590. The verb in the parliamentary sense is first recorded 1597.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

second sec·ond2 (sěk'ənd)
adj.

  1. Coming next after the first in order, place, rank, time, or quality.

  2. Being the next closest to the innermost digit, especially on the foot.

sec'ond n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Idioms & Phrases

second

In addition to the idioms beginning with second, also see at second hand; come off (second best); in a flash (second); in the first (second) place; on second thought; play second fiddle; split second; top (second) banana.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Encyclopedia

second

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

Learn more about second with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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