second

I. sec‧ond¹ S1 W1 /ˈsekənd/ BrE AmE number
1. the second person, thing, event etc is the one that comes after the first:
the Second World War
the second of August
a second year student
his second wife
Clinton’s second term in office
the second half of the year
the second time in three days
2. the position in a competition or scale that comes after the one that is the best, most successful etc:
She won second prize.
They climbed to second place in the League.
second largest/most successful etc
Africa’s second highest mountain
be second only to something (=used to emphasize that something is nearly the largest, most important etc)
The euro will have a circulation second only to that of the dollar.
3. another example of the same thing, or another in addition to the one you have:
We advertised for a second guitarist.
There was a second reason for his dismissal.
I asked the doctor for a second opinion (=when you ask another person to repeat an examination, test etc for you).
4. every second year/person/thing etc
a) the second, then the fourth, then the sixth year etc:
The nurse comes every second day.
b) used to emphasize that, in a group of similar things, there is too much of one particular thing:
Every second house seemed to be boarded up.
5. be second to none to be the best:
The quality of Britain’s overseas aid programme is second to none.
6. second chance help given to someone who has failed, in the hope that they will succeed this time:
I just want to give these kids a second chance.
7. have second thoughts to start having doubts about a decision you have made:
You’re not having second thoughts, are you?
have second thoughts about
She’d had second thoughts about the whole project.
8. on second thoughts British English, on second thought American English spoken used to say that you have changed your mind about something:
I’ll call her tomorrow – no, on second thought, I’ll try now.
9. not give something a second thought/without a second thought used to say that someone does not think or worry about something:
She dismissed the rumour without a second thought.
10. not give something a second glance/look (also without a second glance/look) to not look at something again, because you have not really noticed it or because it does not seem important:
No one gave the woman in the grey uniform a second glance.
11. be/become second nature (to somebody) something that is second nature to you is something you have done so often that you do it almost without thinking:
Driving becomes second nature after a while.
12. second wind a new feeling of energy after you have been working or exercising very hard, and had thought you were too tired to continue:
He got his second wind and ran on.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

II. sec·ond 1 [second seconds seconded seconding] determiner, ordinal number, adverb, noun, verb [ˈsekənd] [ˈsekənd]

see also second²

determiner, ordinal number
1. happening or coming next after the first in a series of similar things or people; 2nd
• This is the second time it's happened.
• Italy scored a second goal just after half-time.
• the second of June/June 2nd
• He was the second to arrive.

• We have one child and are expecting our second in July.

2. next in order of importance, size, quality, etc. to one other person or thing
• Osaka is Japan's second-largest city.
• Birmingham, the UK's second city
• The spreadsheet application is second only to word processing in terms of popularity.

• As a dancer, he is second to none (= nobody is a better dancer than he is).

3. only before noun another; in addition to one that you already own or use
• They have a second home in Tuscany.
• teachers of English as a second language (= to people who already speak one or more other languages)
Word Origin:

early 19th cent. French en second ‘in the second rank (of officers)’

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

second / ˈsek. ə nd / ordinal number , determiner

A1 immediately after the first and before any others:

Is Brian her first or second child?

This is the second time I've had flu this winter.

Today is the second ( of March).

A1 the position in which a person finishes a race or competition if they finish immediately behind the winner:

First prize is a fortnight in Barbados and second prize is a weekend in Rome.

Jones took second place in the long jump.

B1 Second is used to show that only one thing is better, bigger, etc. than the thing mentioned:

St Petersburg is Russia's second (biggest/largest) city.

Iraq's oil reserves are second only to Saudi Arabia's.

B1 another:

She is often described as the second Marilyn Monroe.

You really ought to make the most of the opportunity, because you won't get a second chance .

Richard and Liz have a second home in France.

Pay attention to what she's saying because she won't explain it a second time .

happening only once out of every two possible times:

We've decided to hold the conference every second year.

→ Compare alternate adjective

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

second

I PART OF A MINUTE
♦
seconds
N-COUNT
(Pronounced [se̱kənd] in second 1 and 2, and [sɪkɒ̱nd] in second 3.)
A second is one of the sixty parts that a minute is divided into. People often say `a second' or `seconds' when they simply mean a very short time.
  For a few seconds nobody said anything...
  It only takes forty seconds...
  Her orbital speed must be a few hundred meters per second...
  Within seconds the other soldiers began firing too...
  Seconds later, firemen reached his door.II COMING AFTER SOMETHING ELSE
♦
seconds, seconding, seconded
(Pronounced [se̱kənd] in second 1 and 2, and [sɪkɒ̱nd] in second 3.)
1) ORD The second item in a series is the one that you count as number two.
  ...the second day of his visit to Delhi.
  ...their second child...
  My son just got married for the second time.
  ...the Second World War...
  She was the second of nine children.
  ...King Charles the Second...
  Britain came second in the Prix St Georges Derby.
2) ORD: ORD adj-superl Second is used before superlative adjectives to indicate that there is only one thing better or larger than the thing you are referring to.
  The party is still the second strongest in Italy.
  ...the second-largest city in the United States.
3) ADV: ADV cl You say second when you want to make a second point or give a second reason for something.
  First, the weapons should be intended for use only in retaliation after a nuclear attack. Second, the possession of the weapons must be a temporary expedient.
4) N-COUNT In Britain, an upper second is a good honours degree and a lower second is an average honours degree.
  I then went up to Lancaster University and got an upper second.
5) N-PLURAL If you have seconds, you have a second helping of food. [INFORMAL]
  There's seconds if you want them.
6) N-COUNT: usu pl Seconds are goods that are sold cheaply in shops because they have slight faults.
  It's a new shop selling discounted lines and seconds.
7) N-COUNT: usu pl The seconds of someone who is taking part in a boxing match or chess tournament are the people who assist and encourage them.
  He shouted to his seconds, `I did it! I did it!'
8) VERB If you second a proposal in a meeting or debate, you formally express your agreement with it so that it can then be discussed or voted on.
  [V n] ...Bryan Sutton, who seconded the motion against fox hunting...
  [V n] Your application must be proposed and seconded by current members.
  Derived words:
  seconder plural N-COUNT Candidates need a proposer and seconder whose names are kept secret.
9) VERB If you second what someone has said, you say that you agree with them or say the same thing yourself.
  [V n] The Prime Minister seconded the call for discipline and austerity in a speech to the assembly last week.
10) PHRASE: PHR after v If you experience something at second hand, you are told about it by other people rather than experiencing it yourself.
→ See also second-hand
  Most of them, after all, had not been at the battle and had only heard of the massacre at second hand.
11) PHRASE: v-link PHR (emphasis) If you say that something is second to none, you are emphasizing that it is very good indeed or the best that there is.
  Our scientific research is second to none.
12) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR If you say that something is second only to something else, you mean that only that thing is better or greater than it.
  As a major health risk hepatitis is second only to tobacco.
13) second nature → see nature
in the second place → see placeIII SENDING SOMEONE TO DO A JOB
seconds, seconding, seconded
VERB: usu passive
(Pronounced [se̱kənd] in second 1 and 2, and [sɪkɒ̱nd] in second 3.)
If you are seconded somewhere, you are sent there temporarily by your employer in order to do special duties. [BRIT]
  [be V-ed prep/adv] In 1937 he was seconded to the Royal Canadian Air Force in Ottawa as air armament adviser...
  [be V-ed to-inf] Several hundred soldiers have been seconded to help farmers.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

¹sec·ond /ˈsɛkənd/ adj always used before a noun
1 a : occupying the number two position in a series
• We sat in the second row.
• the second house on the left
• the author's second novel
• B is the second letter in the alphabet.
• That's the second time I've seen him today.
• The office is on the second floor. [=(US) the floor just above the lowest floor; (Brit) the floor that is two floors above the lowest floor]
b : next to the first in importance or rank
• Chocolate is my first choice; vanilla is my second choice.
• I won second prize.
c : another of the same kind
• They needed a second car. [=they needed two cars]
• The chair needs a second coat of paint.
• The word has a second meaning. [=the word has two meanings]
• She took a second helping [=she took another serving] of carrots.
• English as a second language [=a language that you learn in addition to the language you first learned when you were a young child]
• I could have fired him, but I gave him a second chance. [=I gave him another chance]
• I recommend you get a second opinion. [=advice from another doctor to make sure the first advice is right]
• He passed her by without (giving her) a second glance. [=he didn't notice her]
• She liked the house enough to give it a second look. [=she looked at the house again]
2
- used to refer to the forward gear or speed of a vehicle that is next to the lowest forward gear
• You should put the car in second gear when you go up the hill.
- sometimes used figuratively
• The movie never really gets out of second gear.
• The program is shifting into second gear now that all the proposals have been approved.
3 : having or playing the part in a group of instruments that is one level lower than the first
• She plays second violin in the city orchestra.
- see also play second fiddle at ¹fiddle
every second
- used to indicate how often a repeated activity happens or is done
• We elect a mayor every second year. [=in alternate years; every other year]
second only to : only less important than (something or someone)
• Rice is second only to corn as the state's major crop.
second to none
- see ¹none