Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small timing device: An egg timer is a device used to measure a specific, short interval of time, traditionally three minutes, which is the typical time needed to boil an egg to a soft consistency.
   • A type of sandglass: The classic form of an egg timer is a sandglass or hourglass containing enough sand to run for a set period, most commonly three minutes.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • I set the egg timer for three minutes to get a perfect soft-boiled egg.
  • The old-fashioned egg timer on the kitchen shelf is more reliable than my phone's alarm.
  • She flipped the egg timer over as soon as the water began to boil.

Advanced Usage

• Metaphorical Use: The term can be used metaphorically to indicate a short, fixed period of time for any activity.
  • The meeting was supposed to be quick, like an egg timer, but it dragged on for an hour.
• "Egg timer" as a General Timer: While designed for cooking eggs, it is commonly used for other brief kitchen tasks.
  • Use the egg timer for steeping your tea; it's perfect for two to three minutes.

Variants and Related Words

• Kitchen timer (n): A more general term for any timer used in cooking, which can be digital or mechanical.
  • The digital kitchen timer can be set for any duration, not just three minutes.
• Hourglass (n): A device for measuring time by the flow of sand from one glass bulb to another.
  • The hourglass on the desk is a decorative item, not a practical egg timer.

Synonyms

• Sandglass: A timer consisting of two glass bulbs connected by a narrow neck, through which sand flows.
• Three-minute timer: A descriptive synonym specifying the common duration.

Related Phrases

• "The timer is running": A phrase indicating that a measured period of time has begun.
  • Once you add the pasta, the timer is running.
• "Against the clock": Doing something within a strict time limit.
  • Finishing the exam felt like a race against the clock.

Related Idioms

• "Don't let the sand run out": An idiom advising someone not to waste time or to act before an opportunity is gone. This is conceptually linked to the imagery of a sand timer.
  • If you want to apply for the job, do it now—don't let the sand run out.

Noun

1. a sandglass that runs for three minutes; used to time the boiling of eggs