hour
gb/ˈaʊɚ/ us/ˈaʊɚ/
A1
English
~ 400
óra, időpont, nyitvatartási idő, látogatási idő, munkaidő, pillanat, időszak
NOUN
A1
1
óra
A1
Usage pattern:
[number] hours
The meeting lasted two hours.
A megbeszélés két órán át tartott.
It takes about an hour to get there by car.
Autóval körülbelül egy órába telik odaérni.
She waited for over an hour in the cold.
My flight leaves in three hours.
We worked extra hours to finish the project.
Learner examples
The movie is two hours long.
A film kétórás.
I sleep eight hours every night.
Minden éjjel nyolc órát alszom.
It takes one hour to cook this meal.
We waited for an hour at the bus stop.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'hour' with 'o'clock', which refers to the specific time, not the duration.
Meaning
unit of time equal to 60 minutes
Collocations
rush hour
|half an hour
|hour-long
|working hours
|opening hours
Synonyms
sixty minutes (Exact equivalent in duration, but more explicit in wording.)
Antonyms
minute (A smaller unit of time; one-sixtieth of an hour.)
Themes
time
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A length of time that is sixty minutes long.
A unit of time equal to sixty minutes.
NOUN
A2
2
Usage pattern:
at [number] o'clock / at [hour]
The store opens at the hour of nine.
Az üzlet kilenc órakor nyit.
They arrived at the appointed hour.
A kijelölt időpontban érkeztek.
We agreed to meet at the hour of sunset.
The train left on the hour.
Learner examples
The class starts at nine o'clock.
A tanóra kilenc órakor kezdődik.
I eat lunch at twelve o'clock every day.
Mindennap tizenkét órakor ebédelek.
The shop closes at six o'clock.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'hour' with 'o'clock' and use them together incorrectly, e.g., 'at 3 hour' instead of 'at 3 o'clock'.
Meaning
specific clock time within the day
Collocations
early hours
|late hours
|after hours
|small hours
Synonyms
time (A general term for a point in time, but less precise than 'hour'.)
Antonyms
moment (A much shorter point in time; not measured as a full hour.)
Themes
time
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A certain time of day shown on a clock.
A specific point in time during the day, measured by the clock.
NOUN
A2
3
Usage pattern:
[adjective] hours
Office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A hivatali idő reggel 9-től délután 5-ig tart.
Visiting hours at the hospital end at 8 p.m.
A kórházi látogatási idő este 8-kor ér véget.
School hours have been extended this year.
He works long hours during the holiday season.
Learner examples
The bank's business hours are from nine to five.
A bank nyitvatartási ideje kilenctől ötig tart.
Our school hours are from eight to three.
Nálunk az iskola nyolctól háromig tart.
Visiting hours are in the afternoon.
Meaning
set period for work or activity
Collocations
office hours
|school hours
|business hours
|visiting hours
Synonyms
shift (Specifically refers to a period of work, often in jobs with rotating schedules.)
Antonyms
off-hours (Times when a place is not open or people are not working.)
Themes
work
|education
|time
|business
Definition
A set time when something happens, like work or school.
A fixed period of time assigned for a specific activity, such as work, study, or business operations.
NOUN
B2
4
Usage pattern:
[adjective] hour
In our hour of need, friends came to help.
A bajban a barátaink siettek a segítségünkre.
It was the proudest hour of her career.
Ez volt pályafutása legbüszkébb pillanata.
This is our darkest hour as a community.
Learner examples
In my hour of need, my friend helped me.
Amikor bajban voltam, a barátom segített.
Winning the game was his best hour.
A meccs megnyerése volt élete legszebb pillanata.
It was the happiest hour of my life.
Meaning
period associated with a special event or mood
Collocations
hour of need
|darkest hour
|glorious hour
Synonyms
moment (Can refer to a similar short period, but often shorter than 'hour' and more figurative.)
Antonyms
eternity (An extremely long or endless period of time, opposite to a short marked period.)
Themes
time
|events
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A short time when something special or important happens.
A short period of time associated with a particular event, activity, or emotional state.
Grammar
Dictionary form
hour
IPA
GB/ˈaʊɚ/
US/ˈaʊɚ/
Syllables & stress
hour (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (hour)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: hour
- Plural: hours
Word family
Expressions
after hours
1/ˈæftɚ ˈaʊɚz/
fixed phrase
time after regular business closes
The time after a business or office has closed for the day.
Examples
- We met at the bar after hours.
- The store offers after-hours customer service by phone.
happy hour
1/hˈæpi ˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
informal
discount drink period at bars/restaurants
A short time in a bar or restaurant when drinks are cheaper than usual.
Examples
- Let's meet for happy hour after work.
- Happy hour runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. here.
on the hour
1/ˈɔn ðə ˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
exactly at each full hour mark
At exactly one o'clock, two o'clock, etc., not before or after.
Examples
- The train departs on the hour every hour.
- News bulletins are broadcast on the hour.
small hours
1/smˈɔl ˈaʊɚz/
fixed phrase
very early morning after midnight
The early morning hours after midnight and before sunrise.
Examples
- He stayed up until the small hours studying.
- We finally went to bed in the small hours.
rush hour
1/ɹˈʌʃ ˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
Time with heavy commuter traffic
The time when many people travel to or from work and roads are very busy.
Examples
- Traffic is always bad during rush hour.
- Traffic is terrible during rush hour.
- I try to leave work early to avoid rush hour.
- I always leave early to avoid rush hour.