golden time

Noun

golden time (countable and uncountable, plural golden times)

1. The first sixty minutes after a traumatic injury.
   • […] the golden time has already passed before the physician starts prompt treatment.2015, Yatin Mehta, Jeetendra Sharma, Mukesh Gupta, Textbook of Critical Care, page 920
   • This fully shows that if there are advanced medical technology and proper rescue methods on the battlefield, more attention is paid to the most precious "golden time” of the 60 min after the trauma, the principle of “seamless education” is emphasized, the implementation of basic life support is...2018, Shengzhao Long, Balbir S. Dhillon, Man-Machine-Environment System Engineering, page 562
2. The time of day near sunrise or sunset.
   • It was the golden time of the afternoon then, and the captain said to himself, "Golden sun, golden sea, golden sails, golden leaves, golden love, golden youth, a golden state of things altogether! "1860, Charles Dickens, A Message From the Sea, page 96
   • The second kind refers to the beautiful time of day when the sun is about to set, and everything is cast with a hue of the most splendid golden light; it's a wonderful time to shoot. The problem with the second kind of golden time is that keeping a crew around just to film it can be very expensive...1985, Christopher Lukas, Directing for Film and Television, page 112
3. The Japanese analog to American prime time.
   • The overall (6:00 a.m. to midnight) audience rating per time slot didn't change, but the golden time ( 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ) audience ratings decreased while the midnight to 2:00 a.m. rate increased.2001, Japan 2001 Marketing & Advertising Yearbook, page 169
   • Production companies have such a major role in producing for television to the extent that approximately 70 per cent of programmes broadcast during prime time (or so-called 'golden time' in Japan) period of 7–10 p.m. are said partially or fully to originate from them.2006, Martin Cave, Kiyoshi Nakamura, Digital Broadcasting, page 130
4. Overtime hours in the television or film industry, when additional money is paid.
   • But a Saturday job for a crew already on golden time calls for double golden time, which is five times the regular wage.1967, John L. Chapman, Incredible Los Angeles, page 151
   • NBC conceded that overtime would be payable for most of the 55¼-hour tour and that golden time would be payable for the following six days. There was a dispute, however, whether golden time would also be payable for any of the 55¼-hour tour.1970 ·, Allen E. Koenig, Broadcasting and Bargaining, page 115
5. A period of ease, happiness, virtue, or flourishing.
   • Would he were wasted, marrow, bones, and all, That from his loins no hopeful branch may spring, To cross me from the golden time I look for.1591, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, part 3
   • "There was a golden time before men sinned, when God came down and talked to Adam, but that is long, long ago," said Anicetus.1874, Emma Leslie, Hilda; Or, The Golden Age, page 34

   Synonyms:

   golden age, golden era, golden years

6. The optimal time for accomplishing a specific task.
   • The general practitioner, either through ignorance or indifference, neglects his cases of insanity, and too often allows the "golden time" for treatment, i.e., during the incipiency, to pass before recognizing the insanity or considering it of any consequence.1892, The Medical Fortnightly - Volume 2, page 287
   • During the golden time, the sellers are willing to sell, but haven't yet fully committed to an agent or anyone else. If you can come in at that point with a reasonable offer, the sellers are very likely to accept.1997, Robert Irwin, Tips and Traps when Buying a Home, page 55
7. Unstructured time when schoolchildren are allowed to choose their own activities as a reward for good behavior.
   • In more severe cases children may lose golden time and spend the time discussing with an adult what they did wrong and setting themselves targets for improving their behaviour.2006, Denis Hayes, Primary Education: The Key Concepts, page 150
   • Each time these are broken, minutes are deducted from the golden time. Usually this is done on a pupil-by-pupil basis so that the whole class isn't penalised for the behaviour of one or two individuals.2006, Elizabeth Holmes, FAQs for NQTs