Collocations for second - noun
1. very short moment of time
ADJ.
brief, fleeting, split
I only saw the man for a split second as he ran past.
I only saw the man for a split second as he ran past.
single | heart-stopping
For a heart-stopping second he thought he had lost his keys.
For a heart-stopping second he thought he had lost his keys.
VERB + SECOND
take
This will only take a second.
This will only take a second.
have
Do you have a second, Miss White?
Do you have a second, Miss White?
wait
Wait a second - this letter''s been sent to me by mistake.
Wait a second - this letter''s been sent to me by mistake.
SECOND + VERB
pass, tick by
The seconds ticked by.
The seconds ticked by.
SECOND + NOUN
hand
PREP.
for a ~
For a second I thought you were my mother.
For a second I thought you were my mother.
in a ~
I''ll be with you in a second.
I''ll be with you in a second.
in/within ~s
Within seconds he had disappeared from view.
Within seconds he had disappeared from view.
PHRASES
a fraction of a second
If he''d reacted a fraction of a second later, he would surely have died.
If he''d reacted a fraction of a second later, he would surely have died.
a matter of seconds
The end of the match is only a matter of seconds away.
The end of the match is only a matter of seconds away.
ADJ.
close, good | bad, distant, poor | equal, joint | creditable, worthy
The young German runner finished a creditable second.
The young German runner finished a creditable second.
VERB + SECOND
come, finish
PREP.
~ to
Sunny Boy came a close second to the winner.
Sunny Boy came a close second to the winner.
3. university degree
ADJ.
lower, upper | good
VERB + SECOND
be awarded, gain, get, obtain
PREP.
~ in
He got a good second in history.
He got a good second in history.