Time

Time, measure of duration, whether past, present, or future; a particular portion or part of duration; period at which any definite event occurred or person lived; prevailing state or circumstances. Absolute time is time considered without relation to bodies or their motions. Relative time is the sensible measure of any portion of duration. Astronomical time is mean solar time reckoned through the 24-hour cycle. Civil time is mean time adapted to civil uses and distinguished into years, months, days, etc. A timetable is a table or register of times, as of the hours to be observed in a school, of the departure and arrival of railroad trains, buses, etc. Time-sharing is a method of operation in which a computer facility is shared by several users for different purposes at the same time. A time quantum, in a time-sharing system, is a unit of time allotted to each user. Time slicing is the allotment of a portion of processing time to each program in a multiprogramming system to prevent the monopolization of the central processing unit by any one program.