season

sea|son¹ W1S3 [ˈsi:zən] n

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1¦(time of year)¦

2¦(usual time for something)¦

3¦(holiday)¦

4¦(fashion)¦

5 be in/out of season

6¦(films, plays etc)¦

7¦(animals)¦

8 season's greetings

9 the season of goodwill

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[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: saison, from Latin satio 'act of planting seeds', from serere 'to sow']

1.) ¦(TIME OF YEAR)¦

one of the main periods into which a year is divided, which each have a particular type of weather. In the west, the seasons are spring, summer, autumn, and winter

▪ the effect on plants as the seasons change

2.) ¦(USUAL TIME FOR SOMETHING)¦ [C usually singular]

a period of time in a year during which a particular activity takes place, or during which something usually happens

▪ the first game of the season

the football/cricket etc season

▪ the end of the football season

the racing/fishing/hunting etc season

▪ The racing season starts in June.

▪ Some footpaths are closed during the shooting season.

out of season

(=when an activity is not allowed)

▪ He was caught fishing out of season.

season for

▪ The season for strawberries (=when they are available to buy) usually starts in early June.

the rainy/wet/dry season

(=the time when it rains a lot or does not rain at all)

▪ African rivers turn to hard mud during the dry season.

the growing/planting etc season

▪ The planting season is in spring, with harvest in the fall.

3.) ¦(HOLIDAY)¦ [singular, U]

the time of the year when most people take their holidays

high/peak season

(=the busiest part of this time)

▪ There are two boat trips a day, more in high season.

low/off season

(=the least busy part of this time)

▪ An off-season break costs £114.

out of season

▪ It's quieter out of season.

holiday season

BrE /tourist season

▪ We arrived at the height of the tourist season (=the busiest time) .

the holiday season

AmE (=Thanksgiving to New Year, including Christmas, Hanukkah etc)

the festive season

BrE (=Christmas and New Year)

4.) ¦(FASHION)¦ [singular]

the time in each year when new styles of clothes, hair etc are produced and become fashionable

▪ This season's look is fresh and natural.

5.) be in/out of season

vegetables and fruit that are in season are cheap and easily available because it is the time of year when they are ready to eat. If they are out of season, they are expensive or not available

▪ Vine tomatoes are in season from April to October.

6.) ¦(FILMS, PLAYS ETC)¦ [C usually singular]

a series of films, plays, television programmes etc that are shown during a particular period of time

season of

▪ a new season of comedy on BBC 1

summer/fall etc season

▪ The network has several new dramas lined up for the fall season.

▪ Glyndebourne's season opens with a performance of Tosca.

7.) ¦(ANIMALS)¦ [singular]

the time of the year when animals are ready to have sex

the mating/breeding season

▪ Their dog was coming into season .

8.) season's greetings

written used on cards to tell someone you hope they have a happy Christmas, Hanukkah etc

9.) the season of goodwill

old-fashioned the time around Christmas

→↑close season, ↑open season, ↑silly season

season ²

season² v [T]

[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: assaisoner 'to ripen, season', from saison; SEASON¹]

1.) to add salt, pepper etc to food you are cooking

season sth with sth

▪ Season the chicken with pepper.

▪ Mix the ingredients and season to taste (=add the amount of salt etc that you think tastes right) .

2.) to prepare wood for use by gradually drying it