time and a half

American

noun

a rate of pay for overtime work equal to one and one half times the regular hourly wage.

time and a half British

noun

the rate of pay equalling one and a half times the normal rate, often offered for overtime work

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

time and a half Idioms

A rate of pay for overtime work that is one and one-half times higher than the regular hourly wage, as in I don't mind working Sunday so long as I get time and a half. This expression uses time in the sense of “the number of hours worked.” [c. 1885]

Etymology

Origin of time and a half

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Although he did not get paid time and a half for playing 27 holes instead of the normal 18, a healthy check will come his way Sunday afternoon if Penge can hold his position.

From Los Angeles Times

If overtime is paid as time and a half, just the “half” counts toward the $12,500 deduction.

From MarketWatch

Fine print: The only overtime compensation that qualifies is the “half” of “time and a half” pay required under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

From The Wall Street Journal

If she agrees to work back-to-back shifts, she earns time and a half for the second shift.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023