[f. TIME v. + -ING1.] The action of TIME v. in various senses.
† 1. Happening, occurrence, hap; (good or ill) fortune; an event, occurrence, case. Obs.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 31. Almiȝtin louerd, heȝest kinge ðu giue me seli timinge. Ibid., 1194. Swilc timing was hire bi-tid. Ibid., 2644. Bissop Eliopoleos Saȝ ðis timing, & up he ros.
c. 1310. K. Horn, 164. Crist him ȝeue god tymyng.
c. 1400. Brut, clxviii. 191. Thus staterand Scottes,… Erly in a mornyng in an euel tyming went ȝe fro Dunbarr.
2. The fixing, ascertaining, noting, or recording of time: see TIME v.; in Cricket, see quot. 1893.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 9. Phi. What is the timing of a note? Ma. It is a certayne space or length, wherein a note may be holden in singing.
1656. Eirenicon, 20. Let thy charity advance To give them timeing of an Ordinance.
1658–9. in Burton’s Diary (1828), III. 154. There is no exception against the petition, but against the timing of it.
1693. J. Edwards, Author. O. & N. Test., 357. Josephus is often faulty as to the timing of things.
a. 1711. Ken, Psyche, Poet. Wks. 1721, IV. 278. The Voice, the Lute, the Passion sweet and strong, The Timing, the adapting of the Song.
1889. Acworth, Railways Eng., v. 202. As far as Grantham the acceleration over the ordinary timing of the 2 P.M. was no more than 4 minutes.
1893. W. L. Murdoch, Cricket, 29. Timing is the working in perfect unison of the hands, arms, legs and all the necessary muscles which are subservient to the eye.
1908. Daily News, 7 Dec., 9. This, considering the heavy state of the roads, was excellent timing.
b. attrib. and Comb., as timing box, nut, screw, valve, -wheel.
1884. F. J. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 264. Timing Box [see TIME v. 2 c]. Ibid., 265. [The] Timing Screws [are] four screws or nuts placed at equal distances round the rim of a watch compensation balance,… used for getting the watch to mean time. Ibid. In a marine chronometer there are two timing nuts.
1898. Timing valve [see TIME v. 7].
1907. Westm. Gaz., 21 Nov., 4/2. All the timing-wheels are made of fibre and brass, and are contained in an oil-tight aluminium case in front of the engine [of a motor-car].
