From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsecondsec‧ond1 /ˈsekənd/ ●●● S1 W1 number 1 HMNthe second person, thing, event etc is the one that comes after the first the Second World War the second of August a second year student his second wife Clinton’s second term in office the second half of the year the second time in three days2 the position in a competition or scale that comes after the one that is the best, most successful etc She won second prize. They climbed to second place in the League.second largest/most successful etc Africa’s second highest mountainbe second only to something (=used to emphasize that something is nearly the largest, most important etc) The euro will have a circulation second only to that of the dollar.3 another example of the same thing, or another in addition to the one you have We advertised for a second guitarist. There was a second reason for his dismissal. I asked the doctor for a second opinion (=when you ask another person to repeat an examination, test etc for you).4 → every second year/person/thing etc5 → be second to none6 → second chance7 → have second thoughts8 → on second thoughts9 → not give something a second thought/without a second thought10 → not give something a second glance/look11 → be/become second nature (to somebody)12 → second wind
Examples from the Corpus
second• He is not paid £20 million a year to come second.• Another forecaster places it second, and two others pick it to tie for runner-up.• Thus this second part is simply the tape that supposed to act on.• A second, then third decimation began.• The second was a glass dome, the size of a man, and a little taller than our hero.second largest/most successful etc• This has been the second most successful method of recruitment. 2.second opinion• Also, slides and pathology reports can be obtained for second opinions.• If in doubt, get a second opinion.• It seems okay, but you want a second opinion.• You want more than just a second opinion.• For a second opinion, I called the World Future Society.• In fact it was she who had advised him to get a second opinion on the matter, from a lawyer.• We can give the young reader a second opinion on what is being read.• A second opinion was called for, and furnished. secondsecond2 ●●● S1 W2 noun 1 [countable]TMC a unit for measuring time. There are 60 seconds in a minute Hold your breath for six seconds. The operation takes only 30 seconds. Ultrasonic waves travel at around 300 metres per second.within seconds (=after only a few seconds) Within seconds, Bev called back.2 [countable]SHORT TIME a very short period of time I’ll be back in a second. Just a second (=wait a moment), I’ll come and help. At least 30 shots were fired in a matter of seconds (=in a very short time). → split second3 → (at) any second (now)4 → seconds5 [countable] technical one of the 60 parts into which a minute of an angle is divided. It can be shown as a symbol after a number. For example, 78° 52′ 11″ means 78 degrees 52 minutes 11 seconds.6 [countable]FIGHT someone who helps someone in a fight, especially in boxing or, in the past, a duel7 [uncountable] American English informal second baseExamples from the Corpus
second• A second, then third decimation began.• Well, first of all, it's too expensive and second, we don't have anywhere to put it.• He is not paid £20 million a year to come second.• Ruth understood why in that tender, desperate second.• Another forecaster places it second, and two others pick it to tie for runner-up.• Left fielder Mark Whiten reached out and poked a tailing fastball over the left-field wall in the second.• The second was a glass dome, the size of a man, and a little taller than our hero.per second• The same connection could also carry 640,000 bits per second from the user to the Internet.• The extensions support transfer modes of up to 66M-bytes per second or 133M-bytes per second for bus master expansion boards.• Each one of those pulses has a carrier frequency of tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of cycles per second.• Bat cries, as we have seen, have a pulse-repetition rate in the tens or hundreds per second.• For Deimos, in its higher orbit, only 560 meters per second suffices to escape from the Mars system.• A gun is known to fire bullets at precisely three hundred and thirty meters per second.• Cortical neurons are often silent-George often sees human temporal lobe neurons that respond at rates slower than once per second.• Good powder skiers turn at a rate of about one turn per second.Just a second• You wan na talk to her? Just a second. secondsecond3 /ˈsekənd/ ●●● S2 W2 adverb 1 next after the first onecome/finish etc second I came second in the UK championships. Tea is the most popular drink, while coffee ranks second (=it is the second most popular drink).2 AND/ALSO[sentence adverb] used before you add information to what you have already said SYN secondlyExamples from the Corpus
second• But, second, in the vast majority of markets, efficient production can be attained with a high degree of competition.come/finish etc second• He is not paid £20 million a year to come second.• The college confirmed that he came second.• Instead, he came second and had to make do with £80,000.• Peter Dillon finished second and third, respectively, with scores of 86. 13 and 81. 88.• David Toms finished second at 19-under 271 and Olin Browne was a stroke back in third.• Lewis, who had finished second, was awarded the gold medal.secondsecond4 verb [transitive] SUPPORT A PERSON, GROUP, OR PLANto formally support a suggestion made by another person in a meeting → proposesecond a motion/proposal/amendment etc→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
second• These economic pressures were seconded by the intrusion of the state.• With Harman's blessing they were seconding her.• Alderman Keane nominated him and eighteen other committeemen made lengthy speeches seconding the nomination.• Mr Nichol has been seconded to the region for a special project, studying the effects of community care throughout the country.second a motion/proposal/amendment etc• The second proposal is to allow people collectively to improve their lot.• In case of inevitable necessity you will work to establish your second proposal of 10 to 6. 5.• On third Reading, he moved a second amendment to make racially discriminatory behaviour by the police a specific disciplinary offence.• The second proposal would allow employees a limited amount of time off per year in return for working overtime.secondse‧cond5 /sɪˈkɒnd $ -ˈkɑːnd/ verb [transitive] British English SENDto send someone to do someone else’s job for a short timebe seconded to something Jill’s been seconded to the marketing department while Dave’s away.Grammar Second is usually passive. → secondment→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
second• These economic pressures were seconded by the intrusion of the state.• A quieter but potentially important project is currently under way by Sir John Boreham who has been seconded from the government statistical office.• With Harman's blessing they were seconding her.• In addition to financial support, personnel are sometimes seconded to projects and charities.• My father works for an oil company and last summer he was seconded to their Texas headquarters for five years.be seconded to something• But this can also be true of educationalists who are seconded to a new project outside their own institution.• During my lengthy spell abroad, I was seconded to a public relations unit, run by a delightful and eccentric colonel.• I was seconded to MI5 to report back to them on this one.• In general, the rule of thumb was that one's peers were seconded to perform the role.• He was seconded to the Intelligence Corps as a clerk.• In addition, a senior teacher from each of the six schools will be seconded to the project for one term.• My father works for an oil company and last summer he was seconded to their Texas headquarters for five years.• Others are seconded to work in industry.From Longman Business Dictionarysecondsec‧ond1 /ˈsekənd/ adjective second half/quarter/periodACCOUNTING the second half, quarter etc of the financial yearThe company expects second-quarter sales to be substantially below those of the equivalent period a year ago.secondsecond2 verb [transitive] to officially support a suggestion, idea etc made by another person at a formal meeting so that it can be discussed or voted onEach nomination must be proposed and seconded by two members of the committee. —seconder noun [countable]His proposal failed to find a seconder, and was dropped.→ See Verb tablesecondse‧cond3 /sɪˈkɒnd-ˈkɑːnd/ verb [transitive] British EnglishHUMAN RESOURCES to arrange for an employee to work for another organization for a period of timesecond somebody to somethingWe provide the opportunity for you to be seconded to industry to receive additional in-service training. —secondment noun [countable, uncountable]You can encourage personal contact with suppliers through seminars, site visits and short-term secondments.Two members of the team are on secondment from the University of Miami.→ See Verb tableOrigin second2 (1300-1400) Medieval Latin secunda, from secunda pars minuta “second small part, one sixtieth of a minute”, from Latin secundus; → SECOND2 