downtime
(ˈdaʊntaɪm)
Also down-time, down time.
[f. down adv. + time n.]
1. Time, or an occasion, when a machine or vehicle is out of action or unavailable for use. Cf. uptime.
| 1952 Bell Telephone Syst. Monograph No. 1972. 4/2 The amount of ‘down time’ due to faulty machine operation is very low. 1954 Jrnl. Assoc. Computing Machinery I. 194 (table) Number of unscheduled down times. 1966 Economist 2 July 56/2 All of which involves capital, labour (lugging the pieces around) and expensive down-time for the tools while the next operation is being set up. 1972 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 20 Feb. 8/7 Scientific Wear Analysis can save you thousands of dollars in machine downtime and repairs. 1972 Times 17 Oct. (Transport Hire Suppl.) p. i/3 A spate of ‘down-times’ (times when trucks are not on the road for maintenance or other reasons)..these are the occasions when renting makes sense. 1983 Belle (Austral.) July–Aug. 102/2 Resulting downtime on the tufting machines enabled Bremworth to service and innovate its carpet-producing equipment. |
2. transf. An opportunity for, or time of, rest; time off.
| 1982 Observer 6 June 9/4 Mr Reagan will have ‘downtime’ (a rest) after lunch. 1985 English Today Oct. 4/2 It is possible to hear people talk of ‘enjoying the down-time’ when they are having a break. |