quarter hour
Definition
- Noun:
- Fifteen-minute interval: "quarter hour" refers to a period of time lasting fifteen minutes, typically used to describe a specific point on a clock or the duration of an activity.
- A point in time: It can also denote a specific moment marking the first, second, or third quarter of an hour (e.g., 12:15, 12:30, 12:45).
Usage Examples
- (The bus comes every fifteen minutes.)
- (She waited for fifteen minutes.)
- (The clock chimed at the fifteen-minute mark.)
Advanced Usage
"on the quarter hour": occurring exactly at fifteen-minute intervals (e.g., at 1:00, 1:15, 1:30, 1:45).
- The train departs on the quarter hour. (The train leaves at 2:00, 2:15, 2:30, and 2:45.)
"a quarter hour of silence": a specific period of fifteen minutes dedicated to quiet reflection.
- The class observed a quarter hour of silence for the memorial. (They were quiet for fifteen minutes.)
Variants and Related Words
Quarter-hourly (adj/adv): occurring every fifteen minutes.
- The quarter-hourly chime of the clock is very soothing. (The chime happens every fifteen minutes.)
Quarter (n): a fourth part; can refer to a quarter of an hour in context.
- He arrived at a quarter past three. (He arrived at 3:15.)
Synonyms
- Fifteen minutes: the exact equivalent duration.
- Quarter of an hour: a more formal or explicit synonym.
Phrasal Verbs
- Quarter hour does not commonly form phrasal verbs. However, the related phrase "quarter past" or "quarter to" is used in telling time.
- It is a quarter past five. (It is 5:15.)
- It is a quarter to six. (It is 5:45.)
Related Idioms
The quarter hour: sometimes used idiomatically to refer to a short, manageable period of time.
- Give me just a quarter hour to finish this task. (Give me fifteen minutes.)
A quarter hour of fame: a playful variation of "fifteen minutes of fame," meaning a brief period of public attention.
- He enjoyed his quarter hour of fame after the award. (He was briefly famous.)