Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One of the four natural divisions of the year, spring, summer, fall, and winter, in the North and South Temperate zones. Each season, beginning astronomically at an equinox or solstice, is characterized by specific meteorological or climatic conditions.
  • noun The two divisions of the year, rainy and dry, in some tropical regions.
  • noun A recurrent period characterized by certain occurrences, occupations, festivities, or crops.
  • noun A suitable, natural, or convenient time.
  • noun A period of time.
  • intransitive verb To improve or enhance the flavor of (food) by adding salt, spices, herbs, or other flavorings.
  • intransitive verb To add zest, piquancy, or interest to.
  • intransitive verb To treat or dry (lumber, for example) until ready for use; cure.
  • intransitive verb To render competent through trial and experience.
  • intransitive verb To accustom or inure; harden: synonym: harden.
  • intransitive verb To moderate; temper.
  • intransitive verb To become usable, competent, or tempered.
  • idiom (in season) Available or ready for eating or other use.
  • idiom (in season) Legally permitted to be caught or hunted during a specified period.
  • idiom (in season) At the right moment; opportunely.
  • idiom (in season) In heat. Used of animals.
  • idiom (out of season) Not available, permitted, or ready to be eaten, caught, or hunted.
  • idiom (out of season) Not at the right or proper moment; inopportunely.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A particular period of time.
  • noun The period of the year in which something is more in vogue than at others, as that in which a particular place is most frequented by visitors, or shows most bustling activity, or when a particular trade, business, or profession is in its greatest state of activity: as, the holiday season; the hop-picking season; the London season; the Newport season; the theatrical season; the peach season.
  • noun A convenient or suitable time; the right time; period of time that is natural, proper, or suitable. See phrases below.
  • noun A period of time, in general; a while; a time.
  • noun Seasoning; that which gives relish, or preserves vigor or freshness.
  • noun Having the pelage in good order, as fur-bearing animals. This is usually in winter.
  • noun In good flesh, as beasts, birds, fishes, shell-fish, etc.
  • noun Affording good sport, as birds well grown and strong of wing.
  • noun Migrating, and therefore numerous, or found where not occurring at some other time, as birds or fish.
  • noun Allowed by law to be killed, as any game.
  • noun Seasonably; opportunely; at the right time; soon enough: as, to go to the theater in season for the overture.
  • noun Not in season, as game; not in good condition for the table. In general, animals are out of season when breeding.
  • To render suitable or appropriate; prepare; fit.
  • To fit for any use by time or habit; habituate; accustom; mature; inure; acclimatize.
  • To bring to the best state for use by any process: as, to season a cask by keeping liquor in it; to season a tobacco-pipe by frequently smoking it; to season timber by drying or hardening, or by removing its natural sap.
  • To fit for the taste; render palatable, or give a higher relish to, by the addition or mixture of another substance more pungent or pleasant: as, to season meat with salt; to season anything with spices.
  • To render more agreeable, pleasant, or delightful; give a relish or zest to by something that excites, animates, or exhilarates.
  • To render more agreeable or less rigorous and severe; temper; moderate; qualify by admixture.
  • To gratify; tickle.
  • To imbue; tinge or taint.
  • To preserve from decay; keep sweet or fresh.
  • To impregnate.
  • To become mature; grow fit for use; become adapted to a climate, as the human body.
  • To become dry and hard by the escape of the natural juices, or by being penetrated with other substance.
  • To give token; smack; savor.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To become mature; to grow fit for use; to become adapted to a climate.
  • intransitive verb To become dry and hard, by the escape of the natural juices, or by being penetrated with other substance.
  • intransitive verb obsolete To give token; to savor.
  • noun One of the divisions of the year, marked by alterations in the length of day and night, or by distinct conditions of temperature, moisture, etc., caused mainly by the relative position of the earth with respect to the sun. In the north temperate zone, four seasons, namely, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, are generally recognized. Some parts of the world have three seasons, -- the dry, the rainy, and the cold; other parts have but two, -- the dry and the rainy.
  • noun Hence, a period of time, especially as regards its fitness for anything contemplated or done; a suitable or convenient time; proper conjuncture.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French seison, from Latin satiō, satiōn-, act of sowing, from satus, past participle of serere, to plant; see sē- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English sesoun, seson ("time of the year"), from Old French seson, seison ("time of sowing, seeding"), from Latin satiōnem, accusative of satiō ("act of sowing, planting") from satum, past participle of serere ("to sow, plant") from Proto-Indo-European *seh₁- (“to sow, plant”). Akin to Old English sāwan ("to sow"), Old English sǣd ("seed"). Displaced native Middle English sele ("season") (from Old English sǣl ("season, time, occasion")), Middle English tide ("season, time of year") (from Old English tīd ("time, period, yeartide, season")).

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Examples

  • I am for _meddling with slavery everywhere_ -- _attacking it by night and by day, in season and out of season_ (no, it can never be out of season) -- in order to _effect its overthrow_.

    History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880. Vol. 2 (of 2) Negroes as Slaves, as Soldiers, and as Citizens George Washington Williams

  • Stats that may or may not be relevant for today's match: * Four of the last five Utd v Liverpool games have had at least three goals* United's league record last season after Champ Lge matches: W3 D2 L5* There have been six red cards in the last seven matches* United have yet to concede a goal at Old Trafford this season* Liverpool are yet to score a league goal away from home this season

    Man Utd v Liverpool - as it happened 2010

  • Another 25-win season is attainable, particularly if San Diego State's tradition of playing a relatively soft nonconference slate continues.

    SAN Diego State - Team Notes 2010

  • The program's second straight 20-win season is another feather in the cap of fifth-year coach Cliff Warren, who might get consideration for some of the openings at bigger schools.

    Atlantic Sun Conference 2010

  • However, if its in season ill sight in and not touch the bore untill the season is over unless i put it through a rain or snow storm. most of the time though when i hunt ill wipe down any exposed metal with some Rem Oil

    how often do you clean your guns? 2009

  • If the Bobcats can get consistent play at the quarterback position, a 10-win season is certainly possible.

    Around the Mid-American Conference 2010

  • Another 25-win season is attainable, particularly if San Diego State's tradition of playing a relatively soft nonconference slate continues.

    Mountain West Conference 2010

  • However, if its in season ill sight in and not touch the bore untill the season is over unless i put it through a rain or snow storm. most of the time though when i hunt ill wipe down any exposed metal with some Rem Oil

    how often do you clean your guns? 2009

  • At our summer place on the Platte River, we can still shoot most anything in season from the back porch --- squirrels, turkeys, deer, etc. --- thank goodness our world out here still doesn't turn as fast as your world back east, but I'm afraid my grand children will find things different when they get to my age.

    On Dear Days Gone By 2008

  • Yet again, another episode of Atlantis that I enjoyed sitting through but one of my least favorites of the season, which isn't saying much because the season is awesome and I still enjoyed this episode.

    TV week in Review: Quick Thoughts 2008

  • Cuffing season Think "handcuffs." It's a loosely defined period of the year of mostly colder-weather months, during which users, who would otherwise want to be single, seek out a mate to snuggle and settle down with until the weather warms up.

    Bulky Cameras, Meet The Lens-less FlatCam Laura Roman 2018

  • The chain intends to hire 19,000 workers for the peak March-to-May sales period it calls “burrito season.”

    Chipotle Hiring 19,000 More Workers for This Year’s ‘Burrito Season’ … 2018

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