hour·glass

(our′glăs′)

An instrument for measuring time, consisting of two glass chambers connected by a narrow neck and containing a quantity of sand, mercury, or another flowing substance that trickles from the upper chamber to the lower in a fixed amount of time, often one hour.

adj.

Shaped like an hourglass: an hourglass design; an hourglass figure.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

hourglass

(ˈaʊəˌɡlɑːs)

1. (Horology) a device consisting of two transparent chambers linked by a narrow channel, containing a quantity of sand that takes a specified time to trickle to one chamber from the other

2. (modifier) well-proportioned with a small waist: an hourglass figure.

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

hour•glass

(ˈaʊ^ərˌglæs, -ˌglɑs, ˈaʊ ər-)

n.

1. an instrument for measuring time, consisting of two bulbs of glass joined by a narrow passage through which a quantity of sand or mercury runs in just an hour.

adj.

2. having or indicating the shape of this instrument: a woman with an hourglass figure.

[1505–15]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

hourglass - a sandglass that runs for sixty minutes

sandglass - timepiece in which the passage of time is indicated by the flow of sand from one transparent container to another through a narrow passage

Translations

hourglass

[ˈaʊəglɑːs] N → reloj m de arena

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

hourglass

hour glass [ˈaʊə^rglɑːs ˈaʊə^rglæs] n → sablier mhourglass figure n
to have an hourglass figure → avoir des formes fpl généreuseshour hand n → petite aiguille f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

hourglass

[ˈaʊəˌglɑːs] n → clessidra

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

The sexy underwear chain, Victoria's Secrets, says the hourglass look (sported by Catherine Zeta Jones at the Oscars) is so trendy that corsets are now selling like hot cakes.

Carole Malone Column: Big squeeze is back

There was a mysterious hourglass, projected above a doorway, that never seemed to run out, and a funny Grandpa who cracked himself up with witty stories.

MARGARET JENKINS DANCE CO

BRISTOL, R.I.--Hourglass Enterprises' Flip It Hourglass Jewelry Cleaner is drawing increasing attention from consumers in mass market retail outlets nationwide.

Flip It from Hourglass wins attention

And whether you're looking to emphasise your hourglass shape or slim down your tum, these little numbers can really add up to a fantastic look.

ACCESSORISE ALL AREAS

Hourglass, known for its super sleek luxury packaging, partnered with HCT CA to update the container for its bestselling Extreme Sheen High Shine Lipgloss.

HCT provides slim Lipgloss container

Stephan Gekle and his colleagues used high-speed photography, and spotted a cavity of air forming in an hourglass shape - with the top of the hourglass at the surface of the water and its base at the sinking object.

Pebble splashes can produce sound of supersonic jet

Over the course of his long career, James has earned 40 gold, platinum and multi-platinum discs and five Grammy Awards for a catalogue running from 1970's Sweet Baby James to 1997's Hourglass and 2002's October Road.

Legend hits the right note; JAMES TAYLOR Friday April 6: Civic Hall, Wolverhampton

Their hips have also expanded proportionately less than their waists, meaning that the hourglass British female physique is rarer, as the top-heavy figure has become the norm.

Your life: HOW BRITISH WOMEN MEASURE UP

Janice Wang, chief executive of AlvaProducts said, 'Steps are being taken by many of our clients to make the paradigm shift away from the hourglass figure today personified by Kate Winslet.

J Lo or Winslet

Using high-quality materials from market-leading brands in a professional clinical setting, Hourglass Aesthetics offers just that for its clientele.

AestheticAlly PLEASING; Aberdeen University researcher on championing safety in aesthetics

NOT PREPPING YOUR SKIN PROPERLY "THERE are two elements that help concealer last longer throughout the day - primer and powder," says Marc Reagan, Hourglass global director of education, artistry and events.

7 concealer reveals; Make-up artists offer KATIE WRIGHT their pro tips for perfect application every time