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second

second abbr. sec or s, fundamental unit of time in all systems of measurement. In practical terms, the second is 1/60 of a minute, 1/3,600 of an hour, or 1/86,400 of a day. Since the length of the day varies, however, the second must be defined in more precise terms. For many years it was defined as 1/86,400 of the mean solar day (see solar time ), thus eliminating seasonal variations. Because the rotation of the earth itself is not constant, the second was redefined (1956) in terms of ephemeris time (ET), which is calculated from the motions of celestial bodies in accordance with the laws of motion; 1 sec is 1/31,556,925.9747 of the length of the tropical year for 1900. In 1967 the second was redefined to be 9,192,631,770 periods of vibration of the radiation emitted at a specific wavelength by an atom of cesium-133.

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second

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Â© The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology 1996, originally published by Oxford University Press 1996. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

second3 (mil., etc.) transfer (an officer) temporarily to other duties. XIX. f. F. phr. en second in the second rank (said of officers).
Hence secondment XIX.

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T. F. HOAD. "second." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "second." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (November 29, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-second2.html

T. F. HOAD. "second." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved November 29, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-second2.html

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second2 support, back up. XVI. — F. seconder — L. secundāre favour, further, f. secundus (see prec.).

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T. F. HOAD. "second." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "second." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (November 29, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-second1.html

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