Idiom Category: Time, Page 1

A month of Sundays

A month of Sundays is a long period of time: I haven't seen her in a month of Sundays.

After the watershed

The watershed is the time limit after which more controversial  subjects, bad language, etc, can be shown on TV in some countries, so if it's after the watershed, then discussions can be freer, franker and more controversial.

Against the clock

If you do something against the clock, you are rushed and have very little time to do it.

Ahead of time

If something happens ahead of time, it happens early or before the set time.

Around the clock

If something is open around the clock, it is open 24 hours a day. For example, an airport is open around the clock.

Behind the times

Someone that is behind the times is old-fashioned and has ideas that are regarded as out-dated.

Better late than never

This idiom suggests that doing something late is better than not doing it at all.

Big time

This can be used to with the meaning 'very much'- if you like something big time, you like it a lot.

Call it a day

If you call it a day, you stop doing something for a while, normally at least until the following day.

Call time

(UK) If you call time on something, you decide it is time to end it.

Carry the day

If something carries the day, it wins a battle (the sense is that the battle has been long and could have gone either way) or competition for supremacy.

Clean your clock

If you clean your clock, you beat someone decisively in a contest or fight.

Come of age

When something comes of age it develops completely and reaches maturity. When someone comes of age, they reach adulthood or fulfill their potential.

Crack of dawn

The crack of dawn is very early in the morning.

Crunch time

When people, companies, etc, have to make an important decision that will have a considerable effect on their future, it is crunch time.

Day in the sun

If you have your day in the sun, you get attention and are appreciated.

Days are numbered

When someone’s days are numbered, they are expected to die soon.

Do time

(UK) When someone is doing time, they are in prison.

Don't know whether to wind a watch or bark at the moon

If you don't know what to do, you don't know whether to wind a watch or bark at the moon.

Dwell on the past

Thinking too much about the past, so that it becomes a problem is to dwell on the past.

Eleventh hour

If something happens at the eleventh hour, it happens right at the last minute.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day

This is used when people get lucky and are undeservedly successful.('Even a stopped clock is right twice a day' is also used.)

Feast today, famine tomorrow

If you indulge yourself with all that you have today, you may have to go without tomorrow.

Five o'clock shadow

A five o'clock shadow is the facial hair that a man gets if he doesn't shave for a day or two.

For the time being

For the time being indicates that an action or state will continue into the future, but is temporary. I'm sharing an office for the time being.

Full of the joys of spring

If you are full of the joys of spring, you are very happy and full of energy.

Fullness of time

If something happens in the fullness of time, it will happen when the time is right and appropriate.

Girl Friday

A girl Friday is a female employee who assists someone without any specific duties.

Given the day that's in it

(Irish) This idiom is used when something is obvious because of the day that it occurs: traffic, for example would be busy around a football stadium on game day, given the day that's in it. On any other day the traffic would be unexplainable, but because its game day its obvious why there is traffic.

Good time

If you make good time on a journey, you manage to travel faster than you expected.

Have your moments

Someone who has his or her moments exhibits a positive behavior pattern on an occasional basis but not generally.

Here today, gone tomorrow

Money, happiness and other desirable things are often here today, gone tomorrow, which means that they don't last for very long.

Honest as the day is long

Someone who is as honest as the day is long is very trustworthy or honest.

Hour of need

A time when someone really needs something, almost a last chance, is their hour of need.

In an instant

If something happens in an instant, it happens very rapidly.

In one stroke

If something happens in one stroke, it happens immediately.(In a stroke, at a stroke and at one stroke are also used.)

Just in the nick of time

If you do something in the nick of time, you just manage to do it just in time, with seconds to spare.

Laugh a minute

Someone who is a laugh a minute is very funny.

Legend in your own lunchtime

Somebody who becomes a legend in their own lifetime acquires fame, but often only to a select or specialist audience, while they are still alive.

Let's call it a day

This is used as a way of suggesting that it is time to stop working on something.

Like clockwork

If something happens like clockwork, it happens at very regular times or intervals.

Like there's no tomorrow

If you do something like there's no tomorrow, you do it fast or energetically.

Long time no hear

The speaker could say this when they have not heard from a person, either through phone calls or emails for a long time.

Long time no see

'Long time no see' means that the speaker has not seen that person for a long time.

Make my day

If something makes your day, it satisfies you or makes you happy.

Make your day

If something makes your day, it pleases you or makes you very happy.

Mile a minute

To do something very quickly. For example: He was talking a mile a minute.

Nick of time

If you do something in the nick of time, you do it at the very last minute or second.

No time like the present

If people say that there's no time like the present , they believe that it is far better to do something now than to leave it for later, in which case it might never get done.

No time to lose

If there's no time to lose, then it's time to get started otherwise it won't be finished on time.

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