spend time

verb

To dedicate time to an activity.

“These days, many people spend time surfing social networking sites.”

Meanings

verbspend time (third-person singular simple present spends time, present participle spending time, simple past and past participle spent time)

present singular third person spends time · participle present spending time · participle past spent time · past spent time

  1. To dedicate time to an activity.

    These days, many people spend time surfing social networking sites.

    2 more examples

    The rebuilt "Merchant Navy" Pacifics have the monopoly of these workings, and Mr. C. K. Dunkley writes that as a result of their reduced water consumption, as compared with the unrebuilt engines, some engine-crews no longer spend time taking water at Southampton Central, the invariable practice previously.

    1957 October 28, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 714

    Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame.

    2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4
  2. To accompany someone for leisure; to hang out.

    It's my day off today - let's spend some time together. Parents should spend more time with their children.

Translations

Ancient Greek διατρίβω
  • διατρίβω (diatríbō)dedicate time to an activity
Arabic قَضَى وَقْت
  • قَضَى وَقْت (qaḍā waqt)dedicate time to an activity
Chinese Mandarin 花時間 /花时间, 陪
  • 花時間 /花时间 (huā shíjiān)dedicate time to an activity
  • 陪 (péi)accompany someone for leisure
  • 聚 (jù)accompany someone for leisure
Esperanto pasigi tempon
  • pasigi tempondedicate time to an activity
Finnish viettää aikaa, viettää aikaa
  • viettää aikaadedicate time to an activity
  • viettää aikaaaccompany someone for leisure
  • olla yhdessäaccompany someone for leisure
German Zeit verbringen
  • Zeit verbringendedicate time to an activity
Hebrew בִּלָּה
  • בִּלָּה (bilá)dedicate time to an activity
Latin dēgō
  • dēgōdedicate time to an activity
Polish spędzać czas, spędzić czas
  • spędzać czasdedicate time to an activity
  • spędzić czasdedicate time to an activity
  • spędzać czasaccompany someone for leisure
  • spędzić czasaccompany someone for leisure
  • zadawać sięaccompany someone for leisure
Russian провести́ вре́мя, проводи́ть вре́мя
  • провести́ вре́мя (provestí vrémja)dedicate time to an activity
  • проводи́ть вре́мя (provodítʹ vrémja)dedicate time to an activity
Spanish pasar tiempo, pasar el tiempo
  • pasar tiempodedicate time to an activity
  • pasar el tiempodedicate time to an activity
  • pasárseladedicate time to an activity
  • pasar el tiempoaccompany someone for leisure
  • pasar tiempoaccompany someone for leisure
Cite this entry
APA

spend time. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spend%20time

MLA

“spend time.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spend%20time. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spend time,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spend%20time.

Source: spend time on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.