WordGarden.iohourglass
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈaʊəɡlɑːs/
US
- /ˈaʊərˌɡlæs/
Meanings
Noun
a glass timer in which sand runs through a narrow middle
an hourglass-shaped computer cursor or icon showing that the system is busy
Adjective
shaped with a narrow middle and wider ends
Beyond the definition
An hourglass is not just a pretty decoration; it is a simple way to measure time. Shaped like two glass bulbs joined by a narrow middle, it uses a steady flow of sand from the top bulb to the bottom to mark a set amount of time. The classic kind measures one hour, but they also come in many other sizes and time lengths.
Think of old pirate movies: you often see captains using them to time parts of a voyage. But it is more than just a historical tool. The image is also often used as a symbol of time passing or of life being limited, like the idea of time slipping away. You might say someone's life is "like an hourglass," suggesting that their time is running short.
An hourglass is a device for measuring time that consists of two glass bulbs connected by a narrow neck. Sand (or another granular material) flows from the top bulb to the bottom at a consistent rate, marking a specific period—traditionally one hour, hence the name. While clocks and watches tell us what time it is, an hourglass measures a duration of time.
Historically, hourglasses were crucial for navigation, astronomy, and religious practices before the invention of more precise mechanical clocks. They were especially reliable at sea because they were unaffected by the rocking of a ship, unlike early pendulum clocks. Today, they are often used as decorative objects, symbolic gifts, or in games and activities like chess or as simple egg timers.
However, the hourglass has also become deeply embedded in our cultural imagination as a powerful symbol of time passing, mortality, and the inevitability of change. We use phrases like "running out of time" or "the sands of time" to convey urgency or the finite nature of existence. The image evokes a sense of both beauty and melancholy; watching the sand fall can be mesmerizing, but it is also a reminder that every grain represents a moment gone by.
Whether you are using it to time a task, admiring its elegant design, or contemplating the passage of time itself, an hourglass is more than just a timer—it is a potent symbol of life and its fleeting moments.
Examples
- 1
Classroom timer
The teacher set an hourglass on the table and told us to write until the sand ran out.
- 2
Timer reset
When the last bit of sand fell, she turned the hourglass over and gave us another minute.
- 3
Body shape
The dress was designed to create an hourglass figure.
- Phrasehourglass figure
a body shape with a narrow waist and fuller hips and chest
See also
Similar
- sand timer
- sandglass
Shades of meaning
- egg timer
- timepiece
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- turn over an hourglass
- hourglass runs out
- hourglass timer
Explore
- timekeeping
- clepsydra
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- hourglassnoun
Forms
- hourglassespluralnoun