session

Definitions

sess (sat) + -ion (act, period) = 'a sitting.' Originally the sitting of a court or council — when a body is 'in session,' its members are literally seated and at work. The word stretched to any block of time spent on an activity (a training session) and, in computing, to a login that stays 'seated' until you log out.

Why It Means This

The thread tying every sense together is 'sitting.' A court or parliament does its work seated, so a 'session' was the time it sat. From there the word loosened: any stretch of time you sit down to do something — a recording session, a therapy session, a study session. Computing borrowed the same idea: a session lasts as long as you stay 'seated' at the system.

Common Collocations

• 1.in session开庭中；开会中
• 2.training session培训课程
• 3.court session法庭开庭
• 4.open a session开启会话／开幕

Example Sentences

• 1.

  The gym offers a free trial session for new members.

• 2.

  Parliament is currently in session.

• 3.

  Your session will expire after fifteen minutes of inactivity.