timelytime‧ly /ˈtaɪmli/ ●○○ adjective 
The fight ended only with the timely arrival of the police.in a timely manner/fashion (=as quickly as is reasonable in a particular situation) We aim to settle all valid claims in a timely manner.a timely reminder (of something) British English (=one that makes you remember something important) The crash served as a timely reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a piece of timely advice
- The database will provide timely and accurate information on the current status of the business.
- The fighting in the Ardennes came as a timely reminder that the West still needed the Russian army.
- The Government's intervention was timely and may have prevented economic disaster.
- A lobbying letter to Mrs Thatcher on the subject may be timely.
- Be on time and timely - it's good manners.
- Further, it became natural and timely to search for bodies in threatening orbits.
- He gets his wines to market in a timely way.
- His concern about the organization of the militia was timely, but his intended reliance on the longbow was hardly forward-looking.
- It opens up opportunities to supply a wide variety of users with information which is timely, accurate, significant and relevant.
- The timely provision of psychiatric care can dramatically reduce the use and costs of medical care for these patients.
Longman Language Activatorthe right time or a good time to do something
the best time to do something, when you are most likely to get the result that you want: · Yes, I'm going to ask him - I'm just waiting for the right time.the right time to do something: · It seemed like the right time to start planning something new.· I don't think it's the right time to tell Jeff.the right time of day/year: · If you get here at the right time of day, you might get to see the birds feeding.· This really isn't the right time of the year to start working on the house.
a suitable or convenient time: · I'd like to come on Saturday - would that be a good time?a good time for: · 11 o'clock would be quite a good time for me, if you can make it.a good time to do something: · Now is a good time to start applying for jobs.· Right after the Easter break is a good time to visit Florida.· I'll be here all day Friday, so when would be a good time to meet?
if something comes at the right time or comes at a good time , it happens when you need or want it to happen: · I lost my job last month, so this offer has come at just the right time.· Well, you're news comes at a good time, Helen.
an expression meaning to be the right time to do something important, use this especially when you are advising someone what they should do: be the time to do something: · If you're going to buy a house, now's the time to do it.be the time for: · The reason I'm saying "no" is because right now is not the time for making a mess in here.
the ability to choose the right time to do something, especially when this is a skill you have learned or practised: · When you're a comedian, timing is very important.· He eventually played in another 28 games, but his timing and rhythm never returned.good/perfect etc timing: · "Well, life's just full of surprises," she retorted, with a comic's perfect timing.· You guys have good timing, we just started to eat.sense of timing (=the ability to choose the right time to do something, especially when this is a natural ability that you have): · Even at the end, George Burns never lost his impeccable sense of timing.
actions, decisions etc that are timely happen at the right time, especially with the result that they prevent something bad from happening: · The Government's intervention was timely and may have prevented economic disaster.· The database will provide timely and accurate information on the current status of the business.· The fighting in the Ardennes came as a timely reminder that the West still needed the Russian army.
done at the right time so that it is likely to have a successful result: · She took a sip of water during a well-timed pause, and waited for my reply.· Wallace made a well-timed run through the midfield, collected the pass and scored with a low shot.· The conference is well timed since most companies will have their third-quarter profits in by now.
formal a time when you are most likely to be successful, or a time which is convenient: · For those who are waiting for the most opportune time to invest in a home, this is an excellent time to do that.· This seemed like an opportune moment to ask the government to mount a tree-planting program.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
(=as quickly as is reasonable in a particular situation) We aim to settle all valid claims in a timely manner.
We aim to settle all valid claims in a timely manner. British English (=one that makes you remember something important) The crash served as a timely reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES The crash served as a timely reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving. (=a useful reminder of something important)· This is a timely reminder to people that they should be careful with strangers.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Thomas's contribution could not have been more timely, Tommy Tynan having equalised an own goal by David Byrne.· After the meeting he was very abrupt with me and made a comment about getting more timely information from the field.· Do not lose your thoroughness but try to be more timely.· As computer systems make information more timely, top management can base its decisions on actual data rather than personal observation.· Nothing could have been more timely.· The President had never been stronger and his policies had never been more timely.· Wigan have not done at all badly without him but his return, to loose forward, could not be more timely.· Instead, data are provided directly and more timely to obviate this need.
NOUN· I want those results in a timely fashion!
· Users of accounting information, such as banks, need timely information for their decision-making.· After the meeting he was very abrupt with me and made a comment about getting more timely information from the field.
· Actual repayment in a regular, timely manner.· Miller resigned abruptly after Hallinan publicly criticized her for failing to report the incident to him in a timely manner.
· It is a timely reminder of when justice was swift and permanent.· Mr. Chope My hon. Friend gives a timely reminder of the benefits of investment in our roads infrastructure.· So the visit to this country by Boris Yeltsin is a timely reminder of the opportunities in that former superpower.· This direct experience of seeing books being valued and enjoyed has been a timely reminder of their importance in the educational process.· His book is a brilliant and timely reminder of what is left out in our various theories and models of language.
WORD FAMILYnountimeovertimetimertimingtimelessnessadjectivetimelesstimely ≠ untimelyverbtimeadverbtimelessly
done or happening at exactly the right time: The fight ended only with the timely arrival of the police.in a timely manner/fashion (=as quickly as is reasonable in a particular situation) We aim to settle all valid claims in a timely manner.a timely reminder (of something) British English (=one that makes you remember something important) The crash served as a timely reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving.