Hounds tongue

( Bot.) See CYNOGLOSSUM. Hounslow, a town of England, in Middle sex, on the Colne, on the verge of the celebrated Hounslow Heath, 9 m. of London; Hour, (our,) n. [L. Sax. hure ; Ger. uhr; Fr. heure; Lat. hora; W. awr; Gr. hõra , any limited time or period.] The twenty-fourth part of the space of time that elapses between two succe ive periods of midnight or midday, or the time during which the earth completes an entire revolution about its axis, and in which a complete apparent revolution of the sun through the heavens is effected. An hour, in angular measurement, is equivalent to 15 degrees of space, being the twenty fourth part of 360 degrees. The hour is subdivided into 60 minutes in time, and each minute into 60 seconds In this and most European countries the day is reckoned from midnight to midday 12 hours, and midday to midnight 12 hours. In Italy the day is reckoned from sunset to sunset, and the hours are counted from 1 to 24. The Chinese reckon from an hour (in our time) before midnight till the corresponding time next night 12 hours, each hour being equal to two of ours. The Japanese still follow the old custom of reckoning from sunrise till sunset. Astronomers reckon from midday (on the previous day) to midday, counting from 1 to 24. -The time marked or indicated by a chronometer, clock, or watch; the particular time of the day; as, what is the hour -Fixed, appointed, or specified time; time or occasion; conjuncture; critical period of time. -pl. ( Eccl. Hist.) See CANONICAL HOURS. -pl. (Myth.) See HORE. To keep good hours , to be at home betimes; to return home in good season; not to be abroad late; to dispense with a latch-key. "Our neighbour let her floor to a genteel man, who kept good hours." Tatler .