secondordinal number, determiner
uk/ˈsek.ənd/us/ˈsek.ənd/A1 immediately after the first and before any others:
A1 the position in which a person finishes a race or competition if they finish immediately behind the winner:
B1 Second is used to show that only one thing is better, bigger, etc. than the thing mentioned:
B1 another:
happening only once out of every two possible times:
More examples
- After the USA, China is the second biggest importer of oil.
- His second novel was much better than his first.
- The second accident involved two cars and a lorry.
- This is my second attempt at the exam.
- In the second experiment they obtained a very clear result.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Numbers: ordinal
- billionth
- eighteenth
- eighth
- eleventh
- fiftieth
- fortieth
- millionth
- nano-
- ninth
- quinti
- seventh
- sixteenth
- sixth
- tertius
- thirteenth
- thirtieth
- thousandth
- twelfth
- twenty-first
- umpteen
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Idiom(s)
secondadverb
uk/ˈsek.ənd/us/ˈsek.ənd/B1 after the first and before any others:
B2 also secondly used to introduce the second thing in a list of things you want to say or write:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Numbers: ordinal
- billionth
- eighteenth
- eighth
- eleventh
- fiftieth
- fortieth
- millionth
- nano-
- ninth
- quinti
- seventh
- sixteenth
- sixth
- tertius
- thirteenth
- thirtieth
- thousandth
- twelfth
- twenty-first
- umpteen
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
secondnoun
uk/ˈsek.ənd/us/ˈsek.ənd/second noun (TIME)
A2 [ C ] abbreviation sec., s a short unit of time that is equal to a 60th of a minute:
B1 [ C ] a very short period of time:
as soon as :
More examples
- Any half-decent sprinter can run 100 metres in 11 seconds.
- With two laps to go Ngomo led by less than two seconds.
- The computer takes a few seconds to power up after it's been switched on.
- She has beaten her own record of three minutes ten seconds.
- A dog can tear a rabbit apart in seconds.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Specific periods of time
- around-the-clock
- British Summer Time
- BST
- calendar month
- daylight saving time
- depth
- hr
- hundred
- Jurassic
- lunar month
- microsecond
- midpoint
- nightlong
- Q, q
- quarter
- Quaternary
- response time
- s
- trimester
- year-long
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
second noun (POSITION)
[ S ] the second person or thing to do or be something, or the second person or thing mentioned:
an extra amount of food that is given after the first amount has been eaten:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Numbers: ordinal
- billionth
- eighteenth
- eighth
- eleventh
- fiftieth
- fortieth
- millionth
- nano-
- ninth
- quinti
- seventh
- sixteenth
- sixth
- tertius
- thirteenth
- thirtieth
- thousandth
- twelfth
- twenty-first
- umpteen
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
second noun (MEASUREMENT)
[ C ] specialized mathematics the smallest unit used for measuring an angle:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Geometry: describing angles, lines & orientations
- acute
- alternate angle
- angle of incidence
- antinode
- asymptote
- asymptotic
- axial
- erect
- horizontal
- oblique
- parallel
- plumb
- prominent
- reflection
- secant
- slant
- supplementary angle
- tangent
- tangential
- transversal
See more results »
second noun (DAMAGED PRODUCT)
C2 [ C ] a product that is sold cheaply because it is damaged or not in perfect condition
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Products & producers
- begetter
- boondoggle
- brand
- by-product
- cash crop
- commodity
- export
- generic
- generically
- goods-producing
- haberdashery
- ironmonger
- production
- purchase
- seller
- shopping
- spin-off
- stock
- supply side
- unit
See more results »
second noun (HELPER)
[ C ] a person who takes care of someone who is fighting in a boxing competition or, in the past, in a duel (= organized fight)
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Fighting sports
- all-in wrestling
- arm-wrestling
- bantamweight
- black belt
- body blow
- flyweight
- foil
- gumshield
- heavyweight
- jab
- jiujitsu
- knockout
- left-hander
- pugilistic
- punch-drunk
- punching bag
- rope
- roundhouse kick
- sabre
- wrestler
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
second noun (GEAR)
[ U ] also second gear in a vehicle, the gear that combines power with limited speed and is used when increasing or reducing speed:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
The engine & engine parts
- battery
- carburettor
- cutout
- flywheel
- idle
- motorized
- pickup
- piston
- plug
- power steering
- radiator
- rev
- silencer
- sump
- suspension
- tailpipe
- tappet
- throttle
- transmission
- universal joint
See more results »
second noun (QUALIFICATION)
[ C ] UK also second-class degree an undergraduate degree from a university in the UK and some other countries that is a good degree but not the best possible
second noun (BASEBALL)
[ C usually singular ] informal → second base
secondverb [ T ]
uk/ˈsek.ənd/us/ˈsek.ənd/to make a formal statement of support for a suggestion made by someone else during a meeting so that there can be a discussion or vote:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Backing, supporting & defending
- -backed
- argumentation
- bale out
- bear
- behind every great/successful man there stands a woman idiom
- buttress
- carry
- defensible
- endorse
- espouse
- fight your corner idiom
- right behind sb idiom
- speak
- sponsor
- stake
- stand by sb
- stand by sth
- stand shoulder to shoulder with sb idiom
- sympathize
- sympathy
See more results »