second

Universal Words determiner, ordinal number, adverb, noun, verb-see also SECOND determiner, ordinal number 1 happening or coming next after the first in a series of similar things or people; 2nd: This is the second time it's happened. * Italy scored a second goal just after half-time. * the second of June / June 2nd * He was the second to arrive. * We have one child and are expecting our second in July. 2 next in order of importance, size, quality, etc. to one other person or thing: Osaka is Japan's second-largest city / Japan's second city. * The spreadsheet application is second only to word processing in terms of popularity. * As a dancer, he is second to none (= nobody is a better dancer than he is). 3 [onlybeforenoun] another; in addition to one that you already own or use: They have a second home in Tuscany. * teachers of English as a second language (= to people who already speak one or more other languages) adverb 1 after one other person or thing in order or importance: She came second in the marathon. * I agreed to speak second. * He is a writer first and a scientist second. 2 used to introduce the second of a list of points you want to make in a speech or piece of writing SYNSECONDLY: She did it first because she wanted to, and second because I asked her to. noun 1 [C] (Symbol ") (abbreviation sec.) a unit for measuring time. There are 60 seconds in one minute: She can run 100 metres in just over 11 seconds. * For several seconds he did not reply. * The light flashes every 5 seconds. * The water flows at about 1.5 metres per second. 2 [C] (also informal sec) a very short time SYNMOMENT: I'll be with you in a second. * They had finished in / within seconds. * He scored again in the dying seconds (= the last few seconds) of the game. seealsoSPLITSECOND 3 [C] (Symbol ") a unit for measuring angles. There are 60 seconds in one minute: 1ｰ 6' 10" (= one degree, six minutes and ten seconds) 4 (seconds) [pl.] (spoken) a second amount of the same food that you have just eaten: Seconds, anybody? 5 [C,usually pl.] an item that is sold at a lower price than usual because it is not perfect 6 (also second gear) [U] one of four or five positions of the GEARS in a vehicle: When it's icy, move off in second. * to change down from third to second 7 [C] a level of university degree at British universities. An upper second is a good degree and a lower second is average. compareFIRSTn.(4), THIRDn.(2) 8 [C] a person whose role is to help and support sb else, for example in a boxing match or in a formal DUEL in the past IDIOMS see JUSTadv., WAITv. verb [VN] to state officially at a meeting that you support another person's idea, suggestion, etc. so that it can be discussed and/or voted on: Any proposal must be seconded by two other members of the committee. * (spoken) 'Thank God that's finished.' 'I'll second that! (= I agree)' comparePROPOSE verb [VN] [usuallypassive] ~ sb (from sth) (to sth) (especially BrE) to send an employee to another department, office, etc. in order to do a different job for a short period of time: Each year two teachers are seconded to industry for six months. seealsoSECOND secondment (BrE) noun [U,C]: They met while she was on secondment from the Foreign Office.