VOCABULARY - IDIOMS

Idioms about time

Idioms about time

  • against the clock

    Meaning: To work or race against the clock means to do something as fast as possible and try to finish it before a deadline.

  • against time

    Meaning: an attempt to finish something quickly within a time limit.

  • ahead of one's time

    Meaning: in advance of concurrent commonly accepted ideas; showing characteristics of changes yet to be; present in one's work before later advances in the field.

  • any minute soon now

    Meaning: very soon

  • beat the clock

    Meaning: To do something before a deadline.

  • blast from the past

    Meaning: The phrase refers to something or someone from your past that reappeared into your life again.

  • call it a day

    Meaning: to stop working for the rest of the day.

  • caught in a time warp

    Meaning: Another variation of this idiom is to be stuck in a time warp or to be in a time warp.

  • clock on

    Meaning: To register one's arrival at work

  • clock out

    Meaning: To register one's departure from work.

  • devil of a time

    Meaning: If you have a devil of a time, you have a very difficult time.

  • different as night and day

    Meaning: If things or people are different as night and day, they are completely unlike each other.

  • drastic times call for drastic measures

    Meaning: The idiom drastic times call for drastic measures means that when you face extreme and undesirable situations, it is sometimes necessary to take extreme actions.

  • every minute

    Meaning: describing the whole period that something lasted.

  • face that would stop a clock

    Meaning: The phrase a face that would stop a clock refers to an ugly face.

  • for the ages

    Meaning: The phrase for the ages is an idiomatic expression that refers to something that will be memorable and noteworthy; standing the test of time.

  • have a whale of a time

    Meaning: The phrase to have a whale of a time means to have an exciting or fun time.

  • have time on your hands

    Meaning: The phrase to have (too much) time on one's hands is an idiomatic expression that means that one has extra time.

  • high time

    Meaning: If it's high time you did something, it is the appropriate time for it.

  • in a split second

    Meaning: in just very short time.

  • in the nick of time

    Meaning: The phrase in the nick of time means at the last possible moment, just before it's too late.

  • invest time in something

    Meaning: If you invest your time in something, you put your time, effort, or energy into a project.

  • It's about time

    Meaning: Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that should have occurred a long time ago.

  • kill time

    Meaning: To kill time means to spend time doing nothing in particular.

  • live on borrowed time

    Meaning: to exist only thanks to good fortune

  • matter of time

    Meaning: The phrase it is only a matter if time is used to say that something will certainly happen.

  • moment in the sun

    Meaning: A brief instance in which an otherwise obscure, unremarkable, or humble person draws attention.

  • moment of truth

    Meaning: A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.

  • name the day

    Meaning: fix the date of an important event, especially marriage.

  • not for a minute

    Meaning: not at all.

  • not in a million years

    Meaning: The phrase not in a million years means never, not at any point or under absolutely no circumstances.

  • now or never

    Meaning: said when you have to do something right now because you may not get another chance to do it later.

  • once in a blue moon

    Meaning: Rarely; The phrase once in a blue moon is an idiomatic expression that means not very often or very rarely.

  • one-day wonder

    Meaning: The phrase one-day wonder refers to something or someone that attracts great interest for a short time but is subsequently forgotten.

  • pressed for time

    Meaning: If you are pressed for time, it means that you are in a hurry.

  • question of time

    Meaning: said about something that will surely happen.

  • quick as a wink

    Meaning: The phrase (as) quick as a wink is an idiomatic expression that means very quickly.

  • race against time

    Meaning: To race against time means to hurry to do something before a deadline.

  • Rome wasn't built in a day

    Meaning: said to emphasize that great work takes time to do. Nothing of importance can be done in a short period of time.

  • rough time

    Meaning: The idiom rough time means a hard or bad time.

  • round the clock

    Meaning: The phrase round the clock refers to something happening or done all day and all night.

  • save the day

    Meaning: The phrase save the day means to rescue someone or a situation from danger or failure.

  • stand the test of time

    Meaning: If something stands the test of time, it lasts for a long time.

  • the minute (that)

    Meaning: at the moment when

  • time flies

    Meaning: The phrase time flies means that time passes very quickly especially when you're having fun.

  • to the last

    Meaning: until the completion of something or until death.

  • to this day

    Meaning: until now.

  • turn back the clock

    Meaning: figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.

  • under the wire

    Meaning: At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.

  • up to the minute

    Meaning: the most modern

  • up-to-date

    Meaning: current; recent; the latest

  • watch the clock

    Meaning: To keep noticing the clock because you are eager to stop what you are doing.

  • zero hour

    Meaning: the time when something is planned to begin (military)