TIMEOUT Definition & Meaning

timeout

or time-out

[ tahym-out ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural timeouts.

a brief suspension of activity; intermission or break.
Sports. a short interruption in a regular period of play during which a referee or other official stops the clock so that the players may rest, deliberate, make substitutions, etc.
a short time alone used as a punishment or consequence for a child who is misbehaving.
Computers.
1. the termination of a process or event that is taking longer than expected to proceed, and that is more likely to be successful if relaunched, resubmitted, etc.
2. the severing of an online connection after a period of inactivity, as when a user is logged out of a secure session on a webpage after a fixed period of time.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of timeout¹

First recorded in 1870–75; time ( def ) + out ( def )

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“You think I don’t talk to my assistants about rotations every single timeout?”

From

After Murray drilled a three-pointer and assisted Aaron Gordon on a three-pointer for a 17-point Nuggets lead, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue called a timeout with 2:35 left in the game and removed his starters.

From

Murray scored and Michael Porter Jr. drilled a three-pointer for a 72-59 Nuggets lead, forcing Lue to call a timeout just 1 minute 7 seconds into the third.

From

If I got overwhelmed, Steven said softly, I could “call timeout.”

From

After a lengthy video review determined Kane used his stick to score, the Kings called a timeout and rather than playing it safe, they challenged the goal, claiming Kane had interfered with Kuemper.

From

timeous time out

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