An hourglass is a glass or plastic device with two connected bulbs that let sand trickle from the top to the bottom in a fixed amount of time—usually one minute, three minutes, or an hour. When people talk about an “hourglass,” they usually mean the shape it creates: wide at the top and bottom and narrow in the middle, like a figure eight on its side.
In everyday speech, people point to an hourglass when they want to show how time is passing—like flipping one over during a board game to keep turns short. We also use the word to describe body shapes (“She has an hourglass figure”) or phone icons (the spinning hourglass on old computers that tells you to wait). It’s a quick, friendly reminder that time is ticking.
Meaning & Usage Examples
- “Flip the hourglass so each player gets exactly two minutes.”
- “Her dress really shows off her hourglass silhouette.”
- “My laptop froze on the spinning hourglass, so I had to restart.”
Context / Common Use
You’ll see hourglasses on board-game boxes, in cooking videos as a visual timer, and in fitness apps where an animated hourglass counts down rest periods. Designers also borrow the shape for jewelry, logos, and even the loading spinner on some phones.
What does the hourglass emoji mean in texting?
It usually says “time is running out” or “hurry up.” On Snapchat, it warns that a Snapstreak is about to end unless you send a snap soon.
Is an hourglass only one hour?
No. Most small ones measure 30 seconds to five minutes. The name stuck from old shipboard timers that often lasted an hour.
Why do people call a body shape “hourglass”?
Because the shoulders and hips are wider and the waist is narrow—mirroring the classic hourglass outline.
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