timer

/ˈtaɪmə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈaɪmɚ] /ˈtaɪmər/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈaɪmɚ] /ˈtī-mər How to pronounce timer (audio)/ (ame, mw)

timer — 名詞

1. A small device that counts down from a time you set, and makes a noise or shows

1.名詞B1
釋義

計時器

倒數計時並在結束時發出提醒的裝置

A small device that counts down from a time you set, and makes a noise or shows a light when it reaches zero.

例句

Dahlia set the kitchen timer for twenty minutes while the bread baked.

Dahlia 把廚房計時器設定為二十分鐘，同時麵包在烤箱裡烤著。

collocation: set the timer for [duration]

The timer on Hao's phone rang loudly just as the train pulled in.

Hao 手機上的計時器響了，正好火車進站。

timer + on + device

同義詞
  • stopwatch

    counts up from zero rather than down; used mainly for sports

  • countdown clock

    more formal, often used for public events and launches

  • alarm

    signals at a set clock time, not after a duration

用法筆記

The everyday meaning — any small device or app that counts down and alerts you. Distinguish from sense 2, where the timer is built into a machine and controls when it runs.

常見錯誤

❌I looked at the timer to check what time it was.
✅I looked at the timer to see how many minutes were left.
💡A timer measures a set interval; a clock tells you the current time of day.
❌I used a timer to see how fast I ran the lap.
✅I used a stopwatch to see how fast I ran the lap.
💡A timer usually counts down from a chosen time; a stopwatch counts up from zero.

2. A control inside a machine such as an oven or heater that turns the machine on o

2.名詞B1
釋義

定時器

控制機器在設定時間啟動或關閉的裝置

A control inside a machine such as an oven or heater that turns the machine on or off at times you choose.

例句

The oven timer turned the heat off after exactly one hour.

烤箱的定時器在一小時後自動停止了加熱。

oven timer for automatic shut-off

Tamar set the heating timer to warm the flat before she got home.

Tamar 設定了暖氣定時器，讓公寓在她到家前變暖。

set + timer + to-infinitive (purpose)

同義詞
  • time switch

    more technical; emphasises the electrical switching mechanism

  • controller

    broader term — can manage temperature or speed, not only time

  • scheduler

    usually refers to software, not a physical device

用法筆記

Only used for a timer that is part of a larger machine or system. The object is always an appliance or installation (oven, heater, lights, sprinklers), never a person.