“Time’s a-wasting, time’s a-wasting”.

I heard on the radio sth like “Time’s a-wasting, time’s a-wasting”. I am no sure abt the spelling. Its meaning is clear but why such a strange construction? How could it be defined grammatically? I also heard another in a song, can’t remember now.
Could anybody please clarify that for me?
Tnx.

Hello Humble

The a- prefix is a relic of the Old English preposition "on", which in this sense meant "engaged in" or "in the process of".

It's quite common as an old-fashioned-sounding (or sometimes jocular) prefix to a gerund:

1. That set me a-thinking = that set me on thinking = that made me engaged-in-thinking.

2. Time is a-passing = Time is in the process of passing.

3. I was a-walking down the road, when a girl... = I was engaged in walking down the road, when a girl...

It's also hidden in many other words, such as "asleep" (engaged in sleep), "adrift" (in the process of drifting), "afoot" (on foot), etc.

So in your example, it would mean:

4. Time is in the process of wasting (i.e. being wasted).

All the best,

MrP

A wonderful explanation, MrPedantic. Tnx a lot!