SG Heritage Dictionary

Epoch [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. In chronology, a fixed point of time, from which succeeding years are numbered; a point from which computation of years begins. The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and the Babylonish captivity, are remarkable epochs in their history.

2. Any fixed time or period; the period when any thing begins or is remarkably prevalent; as the epoch of falsehood; the epoch of woe.

3. The fifteenth century was the unhappy epoch of military establishments in time of peace.

Epoch [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. A fixed point of time, established in history by the occurrence of some grand or remarkable event; a point of time marked by an event of great subsequent influence; as, the epoch of the creation; the birth of Christ was the epoch which gave rise to the Christian era.

2. A period of time, longer or shorter, remarkable for events of great subsequent influence; a memorable period; as, the epoch of maritime discovery, or of the Reformation.

3. A division of time characterized by the prevalence of similar conditions of the earth; commonly a minor division or part of a period.

4. The date at which a planet or comet has a longitude or position.

5. An arbitrary fixed date, for which the elements used in computing the place of a planet, or other heavenly body, at any other date, are given; as, the epoch of Mars; lunar elements for the epoch March 1st, 1860.

Epoch Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

a term in chronology signifying a fixed point of time, from which the succeeding years are numbered. Scaliger says it means “a stop,” because “in epochs stop and terminate the measures of times.” It now usually denotes a remarkable date; as, the epoch of the destruction of Troy, B. C. 1183, &c. The first epoch is the creation of the world, which, according to the Vulgate Bible, Archbishop Usher fixes in the year 710 of the Julian period, and 4004 years before Jesus Christ. The second is the deluge, which, according to the Hebrew text, happened in the year of the world 1656. Six other epochs are commonly reckoned in sacred history: the building of the tower of Babel, which was, according to Dr. Hales, B. C. 2554; the calling of Abraham, B. C. 2153; the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt, B. C. 1648; the dedication of the temple, B. C. 1027; the end of the Babylonish captivity, B. C. 536; and the birth of Jesus Christ, A. D. 1. In profane history are reckoned five epochs: the founding of the Assyrian empire, B. C. 1267; the era of Nabonassar, or death of Sardanapalus, B. C. 747; the reign of Cyrus at Babylon, B. C. 556; the reign of Alexander the Great over the Persians, B. C. 330; and the beginning of the reign of Augustus, in which our Saviour was born, B. C. 44.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
[237 words — estimated reading time: 2 minutes]

Epocha [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

See Epoch.

Epochal [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Belonging to an epoch; of the nature of an epoch.

Time Roget’s Thesaurus §106

N. time, duration, period, term, stage, space, span, spell, season, the whole time, the whole period, space-time, course, snap, intermediate time, while, interim, interval, pendency, intervention, intermission, intermittence, interregnum, interlude, respite, era, epoch, time of life, age, year, date, decade, moment, &c. (instant) 113, glass of time, sands of time, march of time, father time, ravages of time, arrow of time, river of time, whirligig of time, noiseless foot of time, scythe

V. continue last endure, go on, remain, persist, intervene, elapse, hold out, take time, take up time, fill time, occupy time, pass time, pass away time, spend time, while away time, consume time, talk against time, tide over, use time, employ time, seize an opportunity, waste time

Adj. continuing, on foot, permanent

Adv. while, whilst, during, pending, during the time, during the interval, in the course of, at that point, at that point in time, for the time being, day by day, in the time of, when, meantime, meanwhile, in the meantime, in the interim, ad interim, pendente lite, de die in diem, from day to day, from hour to hour &c, hourly, always, for a time, for a season, till, until, up to, yet, as far as, by that time, so far, hereunto, heretofore, prior to this, up to this point, the whole time, all the time, all along, throughout, for good &c. (diuturnity) 110, hereupon, thereupon, whereupon, then, anno domini, a, d, ante christum, a, c, before christ, b, c, anno urbis conditae, a, u, c, anno regni, a, r, once upon a time, one fine morning, one fine day, one day, once

Phr. time flies, tempus fugit, time runs out, time runs against, race against time, racing the clock, time marches on, time is of the essence, "time and tide wait for no man", ad calendas groecas, "panting time toileth after him in vain", "'gainst the tooth of time and razure of oblivion", "rich with the spoils of time", tempus edax rerum, "the long hours come and go", "the time is out of joint", "time rolls his ceaseless course", "time the foe of man's dominion", "time wasted is existence, used is life", truditur dies die, volat hora per orbem, carpe diem

Period Roget’s Thesaurus §108

N. period, # age, era, second, minute, hour, day, week, month, quarter, year, decade, decenniumm lustrum, quinquennium, lifetime, generation, epoch, ghurry, lunation, moon, century, millennium, annus magnus

Adj. horary, hourly, annual

Instantaneity Roget’s Thesaurus §113

N. instantaneity, instantaneousness, immediacy, suddenness, abruptness, moment, instant, second, minute, twinkling, trice, flash, breath, crack, jiffy, coup, burst, flash of lightning, stroke of time, epoch, time, time of day, time of night, hour, minute, very minute &c, very time, very hour, present time, right time, true time, exact correct time

V. be instantaneous, twinkle, flash

Adj. instantaneous, momentary, sudden, immediate, instant, abrupt, discontinuous, precipitous, precipitant, precipitate, subitaneous, hasty, quick as thought, quick as lightning, quick as a flash, rapid as electricity, speedy, quick, fast, fleet, swift, lively, blitz, rapid (velocity) 274

Adv. instantaneously, in no time, in less than no time, presto, subito, instanter, suddenly, at a stroke, like a shot, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, in the twinkling of an eye, in a trice, in one's tracks, right away, toute a l'heure, at one jump, in the same breath, per saltum, uno saltu, at once, all at once, plump, slap, "at one fell swoop", at the same instant, immediately, extempore, on the moment, on the spot, on the spur of the moment, no sooner said than done, just then, slap-dash

Phr. touch and go, no sooner said than done

Chronometry Roget’s Thesaurus §114

N. chronometry, horometry, horology, date, epoch, style, era, almanac, calendar, ephemeris, register, registry, chronicle, annals, journal, diary, chronogram, [Instruments for the measurement of time], clock, wall clock, pendulum clock, grandfather's clock, cuckoo clock, alarm clock, clock radio, watch, wristwatch, pocket watch, stopwatch, swiss watch, atomic clock, digital clock, analog clock, quartz watch, water clock, chronometer, chronoscope, chronograph, repeater, timekeeper, timepiece, dial, sundial, gnomon, horologe, pendulum, hourglass, clepsydra, ghurry, chronographer, chronologer, chronologist, timekeeper, annalist, calendar year, leap year, julian calendar, gregorian calendar, chinese calendar, jewish calendar, perpetual calendar, farmer's almanac, fiscal year

V. fix the time, mark the time, date, register, chronicle, measure time, beat time, mark time, bear date, synchronize watches

Adj. chronological, chronometrical, chronogrammatical, cinquecento, quattrocento, trecento

Adv. o'clock

The Present Time Roget’s Thesaurus §118

N. the present, the present time, the present day, the present moment, the present juncture, the present occasion, the times, the existing time, the time being, today, these days, nowadays, our times, modern times, the twentieth century, nonce, crisis, epoch, day, hour, age, time of life

Adj. present, actual, instant, current, existing, extant, that is, present-day, up-to-date, up-to-the-moment

Adv. at this time, at this moment, at the present time, now, at present, at hand, at this time of day, today, nowadays, already, even now, but now, just now, on the present occasion, for the time being, for the nonce, pro hac vice, on the nail, on the spot, on the spur of the moment, until now, to this day, to the present day

Phr. "the present hour alone is man's"