hourglass

Everyday

1. A glass timer with two bulbs joined by a narrow neck, where sand runs from the top to the bottom in a set time. tree →
2. A shape narrow in the middle and wide at top and bottom, as in «an hourglass figure». tree →

In the lessons

In maths and science it is a way to measure time: a one-minute or three-minute sand timer. Board games use small ones. In stories an hourglass shows time running out. Phrases: hourglass shape, sand timer.

Examples

• Turn the hourglass over and start drawing. tree →
• When the sand runs out, your turn is over. tree →
• The wizard's hourglass was almost empty. tree →
• Our egg timer is a little three-minute hourglass. tree →
• A wasp has an hourglass shape. tree →
• Time ran out like sand in an hourglass. tree →

Note

Countable. «an hourglass» because the h is silent. Despite the name, many hourglasses measure minutes, not a full hour — check the time on it in a maths problem. It is not very exact compared with a clock.