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season
in good season
In a timely manner. You are all fine candidates for the position, and I will inform you of my decision in good season.
man for all seasons
A man who is successful and talented in many areas. Harold is a talented writer, director, and actor. He's a man for all seasons.
woman for all seasons
A woman who is successful and talented in many areas. Judy paints, does photography, and writes novels. She's a woman for all seasons.
come in(to) heat
and come in(to) season[for a female animal] to enter into the breeding season. This animal will come into heat in the spring. When did your dog come in season?
come into season
1. [for a game animal] to be subject to legal hunting. When do ducks come into season around here? Deer came into season just yesterday.
2. Go to come in(to) heat.
in season
1. [of a game animal] subject to legal hunting. You cannot shoot ducks. They are not in season.
2. [of a female animal] ready to breed; in estrus; in heat. The cat's in season again.
3. to be currently available for selling. (Some foods and other things are available only at certain seasons. *Typically: be ~; come [into] ~.) Oysters are available in season. Strawberries aren't in season in January.
off season
not in the busy time of the year. We don't have much to do off season. Things are very quiet around here off season.
open season
(on some creature) a time of unrestricted hunting of a particular game animal. It's always open season on rabbits around here.
open season (on someone)
Fig. a period of time when everyone is criticizing someone. (Based on open season (on some creature).) It seems as if it's always open season on politicians. At the news conference, it was open season on the mayor.
out of season
1. not now available for sale. Sorry, oysters are out of season. We don't have any. Watermelon is out of season in the winter.
2. Fig. not now legally able to be hunted or caught. Are salmon out of season? I caught a trout out of season and had to pay a fine.
season something with something
to make something more flavorful with specific spices and herbs. I always season my stews with lots of freshly ground black pepper. The chili was seasoned with cumin and allspice, among other things.
in season
1. available fresh locally
Strawberries are in season here in May and June. Usage notes: usually said about food
2. at the time of year when something is popular In season, the rooms with an ocean view are more than $300 a night.
3. at the time of year when hunting or fishing is legal Trout are now in season, which means the rivers are full of people fishing.
Opposite of: out of seasonout of season
1. not available fresh locally Asparagus is out of season now and really expensive.
2. at the time of year when something is not popular We like going to beach towns out of season.
3. at the time of year when hunting or fishing is not legal He got fined for killing a deer out of season.
Opposite of: in seasonopen season (on somebody/something)
a situation in which someone or something is criticized or treated unfairly City newspapers have declared open season on the mayor. She feels it's almost like someone has declared open season on anyone who looks like a foreigner.
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of open season (the time of year when hunting is legal)
a man for all seasons
(slightly formal) a man who is very successful in many different types of activity
Usage notes: This is the title of a play about Sir Thomas More.
He's chairman of a large chemicals company as well as a successful painter - really a man for all seasons. open season
a period of time when people criticize or unfairly treat a particular person or group of people (often + on ) With the publication of these two reports, it seems to be open season again on single mothers. Newspaper editors have declared open season on the royal family.
the silly season
(British & Australian informal) a period of time in the summer when there is not much news, especially political news, so the newspapers have articles about events that are not important It's the silly season again, and as usual, the papers are full of stories about the Loch Ness Monster.
See play silly buggersin season
1. At the right time, opportunely, as in "The two young men desired to get back again in good season" (Charles Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, 1844).
2. Available and ready for eating, or other use; also, legal for hunting or fishing. For example, Strawberries are now in season, or Let me know when trout are in season and I'll go fishing with you. Both usages date from the 1300s, as does the antonym out of season, used for "inopportunely," "unavailable," and also for "not in fashion." For example, Sorry, oysters are out of season this month, or This style used to be very popular, but it's been out of season for several years.
open season on
A period of unrestrained criticism or attack on something or someone, as in During an election year it's open season on all officeholders. This expression alludes to the period during which one may legally hunt or fish. [Colloquial; c. 1900]
out of season
in season
1. Available or ready for eating or other use.
2. Legally permitted to be caught or hunted during a specified period.
3. At the right moment; opportunely.
4. In heat. Used of animals.
out of season
1. Not available, permitted, or ready to be eaten, caught, or hunted.
2. Not at the right or proper moment; inopportunely.