next after the first; being the ordinal number for two.
being the latter of two equal parts.
next after the first in place, time, or value: the second house from the corner.
next after the first in rank, grade, degree, status, or importance: the second person in the company.
alternate; other: I have my hair cut every second week.
inferior or subordinate; secondary.
Grammar. noting or pertaining to the second person.
Music. being the lower of two parts for the same instrument or voice: second horn; second alto.
other or another: a second Solomon.
Automotive. of, relating 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
a second part.
the second member of a series.
a person who aids or supports another; assistant; backer.
Boxing. a person who, between rounds of a prizefight, gives aid, advice, etc., to a boxer.
a person who serves as a representative or attendant of a duelist.
Automotive. second gear.
a person or thing that is next after the first in place, time, or value.
a person or thing that is next after the first in rank, grade, degree, status, or importance.
Usually seconds.an additional helping of food: He had seconds on the meat and potatoes.
(in parliamentary procedure)
a person who expresses formal support of a motion so that it may be discussed or put to a vote.
an act or instance of doing this.
(in certain British universities) a type or grade of college degree granted according to a student's performance on specific written and oral examinations.
Music.
a tone on the next degree from a given tone.
the interval between such tones.
the harmonic combination of such tones.
the lower of two parts in a piece of concerted music.
a voice or instrument performing such a part.
an alto.
Usually seconds .Commerce. goods below the first or highest quality, especially containing visible flaws.Compare first (def. 17), third (def. 12).
Metallurgy. a piece of somewhat defective but salable tin plate.
Baseball. second base.
verb (used with object)
to assist or support.
to further or advance, as aims.
(in parliamentary procedure) to express formal support of (a motion, proposal, etc.), as a necessary preliminary to further discussion or to voting.
to act as second to (a boxer, duelist, etc.).
adverb
in the second place, group, etc.; secondly: The catcher is batting second.
Origin of second
1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English second, secound(e) (adjective, noun, and adverb), from Old French secunt, secun, second (adjective), from Latin secundus “following, next, second,” equivalent to sec- (base of sequī “to follow”) + -undus verbal adjective suffix
SYNONYMS FOR second
13 aide, helper, agent, deputy.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR second ON THESAURUS.COM
OTHER WORDS FROM second
sec·ond·er,noun
Words nearby second
secluded, seclusion, seclusive, secobarbital, Seconal, second, Second Advent, Second Adventist, Second Amendment, secondary, secondary abdominal pregnancy
Definition for second (2 of 3)
second2
[ sek-uhnd ]
/ ˈsɛk ənd /
noun
the sixtieth part of a minute of time.
a moment or instant: It takes only a second to phone.
the basic unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 cycles of radiation in a transition, or energy level change, of the cesium atom. Abbreviation: sec; Symbol: s, S
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 angle1 (def. 1c).
Origin of second
2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English seconde, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin secunda (minūta) “second (minute),” feminine of secundus “following, next”; see second1
SYNONYMS FOR second
2 jiffy, trice, wink, flash.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR second ON THESAURUS.COM
Definition for second (3 of 3)
second3
[ si-kond ]
/ sɪˈkɒnd /
verb (used with object)
British. to transfer (an officer, official, or the like) temporarily to another post.
Origin of second
3
First recorded in 1795–1805; from French second, noun use of the adjective in the phrase en second, as in lieutenant en second “second lieutenant”; see second1
Gunshots rang out in Paris this morning on a second day of deadly violence that has stunned the French capital.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And as he adjusted to this change in circumstances, he screamed at himself a second time: Wait!
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A second document was titled: “Gambia Reborn: A Charter for Transition from Dictatorship to Democracy and Development.”
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country|Jacob Siegel|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If 29 vote for someone else, the race for speaker goes to a second ballot for the first time in almost 100 years.
Kamikaze Congress Prepares to Strike Boehner|Ben Jacobs|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
At least 29 fellow Republicans must vote against Boehner for a second ballot to be reached, and that seems very unlikely.
The YOLO Caucus' New Cry for Attention|Ben Jacobs|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
You searched the house near the little alley, after the second deed.
Old Broadbrim Into the Heart of Australia|Author of "Old Broadbrim"
When he heard him ring the bell on the second floor, an uneasy expression came over his face.
The Goose Man|Jacob Wassermann
I have been thinking that I might play the first part and you the second.
The Queen's Scarlet|George Manville Fenn
Gehenna was created before Paradise; the former on the second day and the latter on the third.
Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala|Various
Mr. Langer nodded more decisively than before and plucked a second blade of grass.
The Boy Scouts of Lakeville High|Leslie W. Quirk
British Dictionary definitions for second (1 of 3)
second1
/ (ˈsɛkənd) /
adjective(usually prenominal)
coming directly after the first in numbering or counting order, position, time, etc; being the ordinal number of two: often written 2nd
(as noun)the second in line
rated, graded, or ranked between the first and third levels
alternateevery second Thursday
additional; extraa second opportunity
resembling a person or event from an earlier period of history; unoriginala second Wagner
of lower quality; inferiorbelonging to the second class
denoting the lowest but one forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle
music
relating to or denoting a musical part, voice, or instrument lower in pitch than another part, voice, or instrument (the first)the second tenors
of or relating to a part, instrument, or instrumentalist regarded as subordinate to another (the first)the second flute
at second handby hearsay
noun
Britisheducationan honours degree of the second class, usually further divided into an upper and lower designationFull term: second-class honours degree
the lowest but one forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehiclehe changed into second on the bend
(in boxing, duelling, etc) an attendant who looks after a competitor
a speech seconding a motion or the person making it
music
the interval between one note and another lying next above or below it in the diatonic scale
one of two notes constituting such an interval in relation to the otherSee also minor (def. 4), major (def. 14), interval (def. 5)
(plural)goods of inferior quality
(plural)informala second helping of food
(plural)the second course of a meal
verb(tr)
to give aid or backing to
(in boxing, etc) to act as second to (a competitor)
to make a speech or otherwise express formal support for (a motion already proposed)
adverb
Also: secondlyin the second place
sentence connector
Also: secondlyas the second point: linking what follows with the previous statement
Derived forms of second
seconder, noun
Word Origin for second
C13: via Old French from Latin secundus coming next in order, from sequī to follow
British Dictionary definitions for second (2 of 3)
second2
/ (ˈsɛkənd) /
noun
1/60 of a minute of time
the basic SI unit of time: the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of radiation corresponding to the transition between two hyperfine levels of the ground state of caesium-133Symbol: s
1/60 of a minute of angleSymbol: ″
a very short period of time; moment
Word Origin for second
C14: from Old French, from Medieval Latin pars minūta secunda the second small part (a minute being the first small part of an hour); see second1
British Dictionary definitions for second (3 of 3)
second3
/ (sɪˈkɒnd) /
verb(tr)British
to transfer (an employee) temporarily to another branch, etc
militaryto transfer (an officer) to another post, often retiring him to a staff or nonregimental position
Word Origin for second
C19: from French en second in second rank (or position)
A unit of time equal to 160 of a minute.♦ A sidereal second is 160 of a sidereal minute, and a mean solar second is 160 of a mean solar minute. See more at sidereal timesolar time.
A unit of angular measurement, such as longitude or right ascension, equal to 160 of a minute of arc.