By the hour Meaning in English
expression
ˈbaɪ/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈaʊɝ/, /ˈaʊɹ
BYE-thuh-OW-er
bˈaɪ/ /ðə, ði/ /ˈaʊə
BYE-thuh-OW-uh
Definition
'By the hour' means something is measured, charged, or paid for each hour, instead of a day, week, or other time period.
Usage & Nuances
Used in business, service, and employment contexts. Common with payments or charges ("paid by the hour," "charged by the hour"). Implies flexibility or short-term arrangements. Not for talking about time duration (use 'for hours' instead).
Spanish: por horaPortuguese (BR): por horaPortuguese (PT): à horaChinese (Simplified): 按小时Chinese (Traditional): 按小時Hindi: प्रति घंटाArabic: بالساعةBengali: প্রতি ঘণ্টায়Russian: почасово - за часJapanese: 時間単位で - 1時間ごとにVietnamese: tính theo giờKorean: 시간 단위로 - 시간당Turkish: saatlikUrdu: فی گھنٹہIndonesian: per jam - dihitung per jam
Example Sentences
They paid the babysitter by the hour.
basic
Parking is charged by the hour here.
basic
The lawyer works by the hour.
basic
Our meeting room can be rented by the hour.
natural
The cleaning service charges by the hour, not by the job.
natural
Taxi drivers in this city don't go by the hour; they use the meter.
natural