time clause:时间从句;用来说明动作发生的时间(如“当……时”“在……之后/之前”“一……就……”等)的从句,常由 when, while, before, after, as soon as, until 等引导。(在语法中也可称 temporal clause。)
/taɪm klɔːz/
When I finish work, I’ll call you.
我下班后会给你打电话。
She decided to take an umbrella because, when the clouds began to gather, the wind also picked up and the weather turned suddenly cold.
她决定带把伞,因为当乌云开始聚拢时,风也变大了,天气突然转冷。
time 来自古英语 tīma(时间、时机);clause 来自拉丁语 clausa(“关闭的、收束的”),引申为“句子中一个相对完整的结构片段(从句/分句)”。合起来 time clause 指“表达时间关系的从句”。