time out

/taɪm aʊt/
noun
  1. A short break during a game or activity, especially in sports, when play is stopped so that a team can rest or plan.
    • The referee signaled a time-out after a player was injured on the field.
    • The coach called a time-out to discuss the next play with the team.
    • During the basketball game, the players gathered around the bench for a quick time-out.
  2. A period when a child is told to sit alone in a quiet place as a punishment for bad behavior.
    • When the toddler threw his toys, his mother gave him a time-out in the corner.
    • The teacher used a time-out to help the student calm down after the argument.
    • After hitting his sister, he had to sit in a time-out for five minutes.
  3. A short rest or pause from an activity to relax or think.
    • Let's take a time-out from the argument and talk about this later.
    • I need a time-out from work to clear my mind and recharge.
    • She took a time-out from her busy schedule to enjoy a cup of tea.
verb
  1. To stop an activity or game for a short period, especially in sports.
    • The coach decided to time-out when the other team scored three points in a row.
    • We need to time-out this meeting and continue after lunch.
    • The referee timed-out the match so the players could catch their breath.
  2. To give a child a time-out as a punishment.
    • She timed-out her son after he refused to clean his room.
    • The babysitter timed-out the child for not sharing the toys.
    • Parents sometimes time-out their kids to teach them about consequences.
  3. To take a short break from something to rest or think.
    • He timed-out from the project to get some fresh air.
    • I'm going to time-out from social media for a few days.
    • Sometimes you just need to time-out and relax.
Antonyms
What does "time out" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean