hour noun ⇨time1 (sb's hour of need)⇨years (wait for hours)⇨the early hours, the small hours⇨night1
time1
noun
It's time for lunch.午餐时间到了。a long time ago很久以前time ♦︎ moment ♦︎ point ♦︎ occasion ♦︎ hour ♦︎ date ♦︎ instantThese are all words for a particular point in time, especially a time when sth happens or when a stage of development is reached.这些词均表示时候、时刻、瞬间。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆a time / a moment / the point / sb's hour of sth◆at the time / the moment / that point / that instant◆on that occasion / date◆from / until that time / moment / point / date◆for the time / moment / occasion◆at / on (any) given / one time / moment / point / occasion / instant◆the very / precise time / moment / hour / instant◆a / an memorable / emotional time / moment / occasion◆to choose / pick a / your time / moment◆the time / moment / hour comes / arrives■time [uncountable, countable] a particular point in time, especially a time when sth happens or when sth should happen（某事发生或应该发生的）时间，时候◆What time do you finish work?你什么时候下班？◆It's time for lunch.午餐时间到了。◆I think it's time to go to bed.我想该睡觉了。◆It's time the kids were in bed.孩子们该上床睡觉了。◆By the time you get there the meeting will be over.等你到那儿的时候，会议都该结束了。◆You'll feel differently about it when the time comes(= when it happens).到时候你就会有不同的感受了。◆The train arrived right on time(= at exactly the correct time).火车正点到达。◆A computer screen shows arrival and departure times.电脑屏幕显示到达和离开的时间。◆I want to fix a time for a meeting next month.我想确定下月开会的时间。◆Have I called at a bad time?是不是我电话打得不是时候？◆Every time I hear that song I feel happy.每次听到那首歌我都感到很愉快。◆Next time you're here let's have lunch together.下次你来这儿时，我们一起吃午饭吧。◆He failed the test three times.他考了三次都没通过。◆He's determined to pass this time.这一回他决心要考及格。◆When was the last time you saw her?你上次是什么时候见到她的？◆ (NAmE) I remember one time(= once) we had to abandon our car in the snow.我记得有一次我们迫于无奈把汽车丢弃在雪地里。■moment [singular] an exact point in time（确切的）时刻，时候◆We're busy at the moment(= now).我们这会儿很忙。◆At that very moment, the phone rang.就在那时，电话铃响了。◆I agreed in a moment of weakness.我一时心软就答应了。◆From that moment on, she never felt really well again.从那时起，她就再没真正好受过。ⓘ A moment [countable] can also be a time when you have a particular feeling, or that is good or bad for doing a particular thing.可数名词形式的moment亦可指怀有某种感受的一段时光或做某事的时机◆That was one of the happiest moments of my life.那是我一生中最快乐的一段时光。◆Have I caught you at a bad moment?我是不是来得不是时候？■point [countable] a particular time or stage of development时刻；关头；瞬间；阶段◆The climber was at the point of death when they found him.那个登山者被人发现的时候已奄奄一息了。◆We were on the point of giving up.我们当时几乎要放弃了。◆Many people suffer from mental illness at some point in their lives.许多人在人生的某个阶段都会有精神疾患。◆We had reached the point when there was no money left.我们曾落到身无分文的地步。◆At this point in time(= Now) we just have to wait.到这种时刻，我们只好等待了。ⓘ Point forms part of a lot of compounds that mean a particular time or stage in an event or process. * point可构成许多复合词，指事件或过程中的某一时刻或阶段◆the high point / low point of the trip这次行程中最精彩／最无趣的时刻◆to reach boiling / freezing / melting / saturation point达到沸点／冰点／熔点／饱和点◆This could be the sticking point in the negotiations.这可能是谈判的难点所在。➡ See also the entry for ⇨ turning point另见turning point条■occasion [countable] a particular time when sth happens某次；⋯的时候◆They have been seen together on two separate occasions.他们有两次被人看见在一起。◆He used the occasion to announce further tax cuts.他利用这个机会宣布再次减税。◆He has even been known to go shopping himself on occasion(= only a few times).甚至有几次，有人看见他自个儿去逛街。 see also occasion ⇨ opportunity■hour [singular] a particular point in time; the time when sth important happens某个时间；重要时刻◆You can't turn him away at this hour of the night.天这么晚了，你不能把他赶走。◆She thought her last hour had come.她以为她生命的最后时刻到了。◆Don't desert me in my hour of need.不要在我困难的时候离开我。■date [singular, uncountable] a point in time in the past or future that is not a particular day（过去或将来的）时候；年代；时期◆The details can be added at a later date.细节可过些时候再补充进去。◆The coins are all of late Roman date.这些硬币都属于罗马时代后期。■instant [singular] an exact point in time（确切的）时刻，时候◆At that (very) instant, the door opened.就在那时，门开了。◆I recognized her the instant (that)(= as soon as) I saw her.我一眼就认出她了。◆Come here this instant(= immediately)!马上过来！
years
noun
years ♦︎ months ♦︎ hours ♦︎ ages ♦︎ an eternity ♦︎ aeonThese are all words for a long time.这些词均表示很长时间。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆for years / months / hours / ages / an eternity / aeons◆years / months / hours / ages / an eternity / aeons ago◆to spend / take / wait years / months / hours / ages / an eternity◆years / months / hours elapse / go by / pass■years [plural] (informal) a long time, especially a period of several years数年；很长时间◆It's been years since we last met.我们多年没有见面了。◆They haven't seen each other for years.他们已多年没有见面了。◆That's the best movie I've seen in years.那是我多年来看过的最好的电影。■months [plural] a long time, especially a period of several months数月；很长时间◆He had to wait for months for the visas to come through.他不得不等好几个月才领到签证。◆It will be months before we get the results.我们要等很长时间才能得到结果。■hours [plural] a long time, especially a period of several hours数小时；很长时间◆I've been waiting for hours.我等了好久了。■ages [plural] (especially BrE) (BrE alsoan age [singular]) (informal) a long time很长时间◆I waited for ages.我等了好长时间。◆'How long have you been here?' 'Ages.'“你在这儿多久了？”“老半天了。”◆It's been an age since we've seen them.我们有好些日子没见到他们了。■an eternity [singular] (informal) a period of time that seems to be very long or to never end（似乎）无穷无尽的一段时间◆After what seemed like an eternity the nurse returned with the results of the test.过了漫长的一段时间后护士才拿着检验结果回来。■aeon (BrE) ( eon, especially in NAmE) / /ˈiːən/ / [countable] (formal) an extremely long period of time; thousands of years极漫长的时期；千万年◆These hills have been worn down over aeons of geological time.这些山丘经过漫长的地质时期已经侵蚀得很厉害。◆Only yesterday－and it seemed eons ago, not just a few hours－he had been a happily married man.昨天他还是个婚姻美满的人，但那好像是上辈子的事了，而不是才过去几小时。
night1
noun
I lay awake all night.我一夜未眠。Let's go out tomorrow night.我们明天晚上出去吧。night ♦︎ midnight ♦︎ the early hours ♦︎ the middle of the night ♦︎ night-time ♦︎ the small hoursThese are all words for the time of darkness between one day and the next, or a part of this time.这些词均表示夜晚或夜间的某时段，如子夜、凌晨等。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆in the night / early hours / middle of the night / night-time / small hours◆at night / midnight / night-time◆until midnight / the early hours / the small hours◆(well) into the night / early hours / small hours◆the early hours / small hours of the morning■night [uncountable, countable] the time of darkness between one day and the next, usually when people sleep夜；夜晚◆They sleep by day and hunt by night.他们白天睡觉，夜晚捕猎。◆The accident happened on Friday night.事故发生在星期五夜里。◆Did you hear the storm last night?昨天夜里有暴风雨，你听见了吗？◆I lay awake all night.我一夜未眠。◆Where did you spend the night?你是在哪儿过夜的？◆You're welcome to stay the night here.欢迎你在这里留宿。◆What is he doing calling at this time of night?他干吗这么晚了还打电话来？◆The hotel costs €65 per person per night.住这家酒店，每人每天要65欧元。OPPday ⇨ day▸nights
adverb
◆She works nights(= at night).她上夜班。■midnight [uncountable] 12 o'clock at night午夜；子夜◆The ship set sail shortly after midnight.船在午夜时分起航。◆She heard the clock strike midnight.她听见钟敲子夜12点。◆The law comes into effect on the stroke of midnight(= at midnight exactly) tomorrow.这条法律于明天午夜12点整生效。OPPmidday ⇨ day■the ˈearly hours
idiom
the period of time very early in the morning, soon after midnight午夜刚过的一段时间；凌晨时分◆The raid was carried out in the early hours of 25 May.突袭在5月25日凌晨展开。■the ˌmiddle of the ˈnight
phrase
the time during the night when most people are asleep半夜；深夜◆He always calls me in the middle of the night.他总是在深更半夜给我打电话。■ˈnight-time [uncountable] the time when it is dark夜间；黑夜；夜晚◆It was night-time, but no one was asleep.夜深了，但无人入睡。◆A night-time curfew will be imposed throughout the country.全国将强制实行夜间宵禁。OPPdaytime ⇨ dayNOTE辨析 Night, the middle of the night or night-time?A night can either be seen as a completed whole, or as a period of time that is continuing; night-time is a period of time that is continuing, never a completed whole; the middle of the night is a point in time during the night. * night既可视作整夜，亦可视作夜间一段持续的时间。night-time指一段持续的时间，从来不指整夜；the middle of the night指夜间的一个时刻◆during the night / night-time夜间◆during the middle of the night◆I lay awake all night.我一夜未眠。Use the middle of the night to emphasize that it is an unusual time for things to happen. * the middle of the night用以强调事情发生在此刻很不寻常◆Go back to bed－it's the middle of the night!回到床上去－都半夜了！Night-time is used especially in compounds. * night-time尤用于构成复合词◆a night-time curfew / raid / visit夜间宵禁；夜袭；夜访◆night-time entertainment夜间娱乐■the ˈsmall hours
idiom
(ratherinformal) the early hours午夜刚过的一段时间；凌晨时分◆We worked well into the small hours.我们一直工作到凌晨。NOTE辨析 The early hours or the small hours?The early hours is often used before of and a date or day and may be used in official reports or journalism. * the early hours常用在of和某一日期或一周的某日前，可用于官方报告或新闻报道中◆The robbery took place in the early hours of Monday morning.抢劫发生在星期一凌晨。The small hours is rather informal and is not used in these contexts. It is often used to talk about sth which started in the evening and continued after midnight. * the small hours很不正式，不用于上述语境，而常用于描述始于傍晚、持续到午夜后的事。