English Explanatory Dictionary

give the time of day

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To acknowledge someone; to give someone respect or attention; to tip one's hat.
  2. To not acknowledge someone; to snub someone; to disrespect someone; to ignore someone.
  3. To tell someone the time of day by looking at one's wristwatch, etc.

Pronunciation

en-au-give the time of day.ogg

Word forms

give the time of day gives the time of day giving the time of day gave the time of day given the time of day

Etymology

According to some, the expression originally literally referred to greeting someone with the obsolete greeting "good time of day", or other greeting appropriate to the time of day (e.g., good morning, good afternoon, good evening), and only later acquired an association with telling someone the time, along with its idiomatic sense.

Related words

daytime give someone the time give someone time have the time timekeep timekeeping time of day
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