keep time

suivre le rythme, battre la mesure

Bouger, taper des mains ou tapoter en suivant le rythme de la musique ou les mouvements d’autres personnes.

En anglais simple : To move, clap, or tap regularly with the beat of music or other people’s movements.

• Clap your hands to keep time.
• He kept time with the music by tapping his foot.
• The dancers struggled to keep time with each other.

Comment l'utiliser : keep time with something (The children kept time with the music.); keep time by doing something (She kept time by tapping her foot.)

Synonymes : follow the beat

Expressions courantes : keep time, keep time together

être à l’heure

Pour une montre ou une horloge, indiquer l’heure exacte.

En anglais simple : If a clock or watch does this, it shows the correct time.

• Does your watch keep time?
• This old clock still keeps time well.
• My watch stopped keeping time accurately after it fell.

Expressions courantes : keep time well, keep time accurately, keep time badly

battre la mesure, marquer le rythme

Donner aux musiciens une pulsation régulière à suivre pendant qu’ils jouent.

En anglais simple : To give musicians a steady beat to follow while they play.

• The drummer keeps time for us.
• The conductor kept time with small movements of her hand.
• Who will keep time while the musicians practise?

Comment l'utiliser : keep time for someone/something (The drummer keeps time for the band.)

Synonymes : set the beat, beat time

Expressions courantes : keep time, keep time steadily

chronométrer

Mesurer combien de temps dure une activité ou un événement.

En anglais simple : To measure how long an activity or event lasts.

• Please keep time for this race.
• She kept time with a stopwatch.
• An official keeps time during each round of the contest.

Comment l'utiliser : keep time for something (Could you keep time for the next race?)

Synonymes : time, measure time

Expressions courantes : keep time, keep time accurately

respecter les horaires

Pour un moyen de transport, arriver et partir aux heures prévues.

En anglais simple : To arrive and leave at the times shown in a timetable.

• These trains rarely keep time.
• The morning bus kept time despite the snow.
• Can the new service keep time during rush hour?

Synonymes : run on time, stay on schedule

Expressions courantes : keep time, keep time reliably