season
♦♦♦ sea|son /s'iːzən/ (seasons seasoning seasoned)
1 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
The seasons are the main periods into which a year can be divided and which each have their own typical weather conditions.
Autumn's my favourite season.
...the only region of Brazil where all four seasons are clearly defined.
...the rainy season.
2 [N-COUNT] usu sing, usu the -ing N
You can use season to refer to the period during each year when a particular activity or event takes place. For example, the planting season is the period when a particular plant or crop is planted.
...birds arriving for the breeding season...
3 [N-COUNT] n N, also in/out of N
You can use season to refer to the period when a particular fruit, vegetable, or other food is ready for eating and is widely available.
The plum season is about to begin...
Now British asparagus is in season.
4 [N-COUNT] usu sing, with supp
You can use season to refer to a fixed period during each year when a particular sport is played.
...the baseball season...
It is his first race this season.
5 [N-COUNT] with supp
A season is a period in which a play or show, or a series of plays or shows, is performed in one place.
...a season of three new plays.
6 [N-COUNT] usu sing, usu with supp
A season of films is several of them shown as a series because they are connected in some way.
...a brief season of films in which Artaud appeared.
7 [N-COUNT] usu sing, usu supp N, also in/out of N
The holiday or vacation season is the time when most people have their holiday.
...the peak holiday season...
There are discos and clubs but these are often closed out of season.
8 [VERB] V n with n, V n
If you season food with salt, pepper, or spices, you add them to it in order to improve its flavour.
Season the meat with salt and pepper...
I believe in seasoning food before putting it on the table.
9 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed
If wood is seasoned, it is made suitable for making into furniture or for burning, usually by being allowed to dry out gradually.
Ensure that new wood has been seasoned.
10
see also seasoned, seasoning
11 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If a female animal is in season, she is in a state where she is ready to have sex.close sea|son /kl'oʊs siːzən/
in AM, use closed season
[N-SING]
In football and some other sports, the close season is the period of the year when the sport is not played professionally. (BRIT)
Football clubs have been busy in the close season transfer market.fes|tive sea|son
[N-SING] usu the N
People sometimes refer to the Christmas period as the festive season.
= Christmasgrow|ing sea|son (growing seasons)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
The growing season in a particular country or area is the period in each year when the weather and temperature is right for plants and crops to grow.high sea|son
[N-SING] also no det
The high season is the time of year when a place has most tourists or visitors. (BRIT)
A typical high-season week in a chalet costs about £470.
≠ low seasonlow sea|son
[N-SING] the N
The low season is the time of year when a place receives the fewest visitors, and fares and holiday accommodation are often cheaper. (BRIT; in AM, use off-season)
Prices drop to £315 in the low season.off sea|son
also off-season
1 [N-SING] also no det, oft N n
The off season is the time of the year when not many people go on holiday and when things such as hotels and plane tickets are often cheaper.
It is possible to vacation at some of the more expensive resorts if you go in the off-season...
Although it was off-season, the hotel was fully occupied.
...off-season prices.
= low season
≠ high season
[ADV] usu ADV with cl, also ADV after v
Off season is also an adverb.
Times become more flexible off-season, especially in the smaller provincial museums.
2 [N-SING] oft N n
The off season is the time of the year when a particular sport is not played.
He has coached and played in Italy during the Australian off-season.
...intensive off-season training.
≠ season
[ADV] usu ADV with cl, also ADV after v
Off season is also an adverb.
To stay fit off season, I play tennis or football.open sea|son
[N-UNCOUNT] usu N on n
If you say that it is open season on someone or something, you mean that a lot of people are currently criticizing or attacking them.
"It's open season on smokers," I say.sea|son tick|et (season tickets)
[N-COUNT]
A season ticket is a ticket that you can use repeatedly during a certain period, without having to pay each time. You can buy season tickets for things such as buses, trains, regular sporting events, or theatre performances.
We went to renew our monthly season ticket.sil|ly sea|son
[N-PROPER] the N
The silly season is the time around August when the newspapers are full of unimportant or silly news stories because there is not much political news to report. (BRIT)
1 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
The seasons are the main periods into which a year can be divided and which each have their own typical weather conditions.
Autumn's my favourite season.
...the only region of Brazil where all four seasons are clearly defined.
...the rainy season.
2 [N-COUNT] usu sing, usu the -ing N
You can use season to refer to the period during each year when a particular activity or event takes place. For example, the planting season is the period when a particular plant or crop is planted.
...birds arriving for the breeding season...
3 [N-COUNT] n N, also in/out of N
You can use season to refer to the period when a particular fruit, vegetable, or other food is ready for eating and is widely available.
The plum season is about to begin...
Now British asparagus is in season.
4 [N-COUNT] usu sing, with supp
You can use season to refer to a fixed period during each year when a particular sport is played.
...the baseball season...
It is his first race this season.
5 [N-COUNT] with supp
A season is a period in which a play or show, or a series of plays or shows, is performed in one place.
...a season of three new plays.
6 [N-COUNT] usu sing, usu with supp
A season of films is several of them shown as a series because they are connected in some way.
...a brief season of films in which Artaud appeared.
7 [N-COUNT] usu sing, usu supp N, also in/out of N
The holiday or vacation season is the time when most people have their holiday.
...the peak holiday season...
There are discos and clubs but these are often closed out of season.
8 [VERB] V n with n, V n
If you season food with salt, pepper, or spices, you add them to it in order to improve its flavour.
Season the meat with salt and pepper...
I believe in seasoning food before putting it on the table.
9 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed
If wood is seasoned, it is made suitable for making into furniture or for burning, usually by being allowed to dry out gradually.
Ensure that new wood has been seasoned.
10
see also seasoned, seasoning
11 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If a female animal is in season, she is in a state where she is ready to have sex.close sea|son /kl'oʊs siːzən/
in AM, use closed season
[N-SING]
In football and some other sports, the close season is the period of the year when the sport is not played professionally. (BRIT)
Football clubs have been busy in the close season transfer market.fes|tive sea|son
[N-SING] usu the N
People sometimes refer to the Christmas period as the festive season.
= Christmasgrow|ing sea|son (growing seasons)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
The growing season in a particular country or area is the period in each year when the weather and temperature is right for plants and crops to grow.high sea|son
[N-SING] also no det
The high season is the time of year when a place has most tourists or visitors. (BRIT)
A typical high-season week in a chalet costs about £470.
≠ low seasonlow sea|son
[N-SING] the N
The low season is the time of year when a place receives the fewest visitors, and fares and holiday accommodation are often cheaper. (BRIT; in AM, use off-season)
Prices drop to £315 in the low season.off sea|son
also off-season
1 [N-SING] also no det, oft N n
The off season is the time of the year when not many people go on holiday and when things such as hotels and plane tickets are often cheaper.
It is possible to vacation at some of the more expensive resorts if you go in the off-season...
Although it was off-season, the hotel was fully occupied.
...off-season prices.
= low season
≠ high season
[ADV] usu ADV with cl, also ADV after v
Off season is also an adverb.
Times become more flexible off-season, especially in the smaller provincial museums.
2 [N-SING] oft N n
The off season is the time of the year when a particular sport is not played.
He has coached and played in Italy during the Australian off-season.
...intensive off-season training.
≠ season
[ADV] usu ADV with cl, also ADV after v
Off season is also an adverb.
To stay fit off season, I play tennis or football.open sea|son
[N-UNCOUNT] usu N on n
If you say that it is open season on someone or something, you mean that a lot of people are currently criticizing or attacking them.
"It's open season on smokers," I say.sea|son tick|et (season tickets)
[N-COUNT]
A season ticket is a ticket that you can use repeatedly during a certain period, without having to pay each time. You can buy season tickets for things such as buses, trains, regular sporting events, or theatre performances.
We went to renew our monthly season ticket.sil|ly sea|son
[N-PROPER] the N
The silly season is the time around August when the newspapers are full of unimportant or silly news stories because there is not much political news to report. (BRIT)