hourglass

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: hour=glass

CIDE DICTIONARY

hourglass, n. 

 An instrument for measuring time, especially the interval of an hour. It consists of a glass vessel having two compartments, from the uppermost of which a quantity of sand, water, or mercury occupies an hour in running through a small aperture unto the lower.  [1913 Webster]
" A similar instrument measuring any other interval of time takes its name from the interval measured; as, a half-hour glass, a half-minute glass. A three-minute glass is sometimes called an egg-glass, from being used to time the boiling of eggs.<-- also = egg timer -->"  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

hourglass, n. a reversible device with two connected glass bulbs containing sand that takes an hour to pass from the upper to the lower bulb.

THESAURUS

hourglass

abbreviation, astriction, astringency, bottleneck, cervix, circumscription, coarctation, compactedness, compaction, compression, compressure, concentration, condensation, consolidation, constriction, constringency, contraction, contracture, curtailment, decrease, diminuendo, hourglass figure, isthmus, knitting, narrow place, narrowing, neck, puckering, pursing, reduction, shortening, solidification, stranglement, strangulation, striction, stricture, systole, wasp waist, wrinkling

ROGET THESAURUS

hourglass

Chronometry

N chronometry, horometry, horology, date, epoch, style, era, almanac, calendar, ephemeris, register, registry, chronicle, annals, journal, diary, chronogram, 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, chronological, chronometrical, chronogrammatical, cinquecento, quattrocento, trecento, o'clock.

Contraction

N contraction, reduction, diminution, decrease of size, defalcation, decrement, lessening, shrinking, compaction, tabes, collapse, emaciation, attenuation, tabefaction, consumption, marasmus, atrophy, systole, neck, hourglass, condensation, compression, compactness, compendium, squeezing, strangulation, corrugation, astringency, astringents, sclerotics, contractility, compressibility, coarctation, inferiority in size, contracting, astringent, shrunk, contracted, strangulated, tabid, wizened, stunted, waning, neap, compact, unexpanded &c (expand), contractile, compressible, smaller &c (small).

Thinness

N narrowness, thinness, narrowness, closeness, exility, exiguity, line, hair's breadth, finger's breadth, strip, streak, vein, monolayer, epitaxial deposition, thinness, tenuity, emaciation, macilency, marcor, shaving, slip, thread paper, skeleton, shadow, anatomy, spindleshanks, lantern jaws, mere skin and bone, middle constriction, stricture, neck, waist, isthmus, wasp, hourglass, ridge, ghaut, ghat, pass, ravine, narrowing, coarctation, angustation, tapering, contraction, narrow, close, slender, thin, fine, thread-like, finespun, gossamer, paper-thin, taper, slim, slight-made, scant, scanty, spare, delicate, incapacious, contracted, unexpanded &c (expand), slender as a thread, emaciated, lean, meager, gaunt, macilent, lank, lanky, weedy, skinny, scrawny slinky, starved, starveling, herring gutted, worn to a shadow, lean as a rake, thin as a lath, thin as a whipping post, thin as a wafer, hatchet-faced, lantern-jawed, attenuated, shriveled, extenuated, tabid, marcid, barebone, rawboned, monomolecular.