Learn common Idioms about Time in English with meaning and examples.
List of Useful Idioms about Time
Video: Idioms about TIME in English
(Once In A) Blue Moon
- Meaning: Very rarely.
- Example: Once in a blue moon you see the Aurora here, but it’s not like farther north.
(Seen in the) Cold Light of Day
- Meaning: From a realistic rather than wishful perspective
- Example: Seen in the cold light of day, our plan is unlikely to work.
(Your) Days Are Numbered
- Meaning: (You) will die soon.
- Example: Your days are numbered if you keep driving while drunk.
Note: This idiom is of biblical origin.
Beat the Clock
- Meaning: Perform a task quickly or within a fixed time limit
- Example: John beat the clock, arriving a few minutes before the doors were locked.
Time Flies
- Meaning: Time seems to move very or more quickly
- Example: I can’t believe my kid is about to graduate from high school. Time sure flies.
15 Minutes Of Fame
- Meaning: A very short time in the spotlight or brief flurry with fame, after which the person or subject involved is quickly forgotten
- Example: Teen pop stars tend to have their 15 minutes of fame, after which you’ll hardly remember them.
Note: Said to have been coined by American artist Andy Warhol.
A Week is A Long Time In
- Meaning: In the field mentioned, the situation may change rapidly.
- Example: A week is a long time in politics – A candidate ahead in the polls may drop out of the race a few days later.
About Time
- Meaning: Far past the desired time.
- Example: I washed the dishes. It’s about time! They were piled up on the counter.
About To
- Meaning: On the point of, occurring imminently
- Example: We were about to go home, but Susan finally showed up at the mall.
Against the Clock
- Meaning: In a very limited amount of time; with a shortage of time being the main problem
- Example: We left later than we were supposed to, so it was a race against the clock to get tothe airport on time.
Ahead Of the Curve
- Meaning: Innovative, devising new ideas in advance of others
- Example: Tesla cars are expensive, but the company’s ideas are ahead of the curve, and other carmakers are beginning to adopt them.
All Along
- Meaning: For the entire time something has been happening
- Example: Jeff knew all along that the project would succeed. He can recognize a superior team.
All in Good Time
- Meaning: Eventually; at a more favorable time in the future. This phrase encourages one to be patient.
- Example: I know you wish your house had sold already, but all in good time.
Around the Clock
- Meaning: At all times
- Example: The restaurant is open around the clock. If you go in at 3 a.m., you’ll meet police officers and ambulance drivers.
Useful Idioms about Time in English (Picture: Idioms about TIME)
… Idioms about Time …
At the End of the Day … (X Will Happen.)
- Meaning: In the final analysis, when all is said and done
- Example: Yes, there will be problems if we enter the South American market, but at the end of the day there are large profits to be made there.
Behind the Times
- Meaning: Old-fashioned
- Example: Blackberry phones used to be extremely popular, but now many people think they’re behind the times.
Better Late Than Never
- Meaning: It implies that a belated achievement is better than not reaching a goal at all.
- Example: I’m sorry my gift came late, but better late than never, right?
Big Time
- Meaning: If you do something big time, you do it to a great degree.
- Example: Chrissy’s into skiing big time.
Buy Time
- Meaning: Cause a delay in something with the aim of improving one’s position
- Example: I know you don’t want to take out another loan, but it will buy time until the new factory comes online.
Call Time
- Meaning: To end something
- Example: The boxer is ready to call time on his long career.
Kill Time
- Meaning: To do something which is not very useful or interesting to pass time
- Example: We played cards to kill time until the bus came.
Call It a Day / Night
- Meaning: To stop working, either at one’s job or on a particular task, for the rest of the day
- Example: You all look tired. Let’s call it a day.
Coming Down the Pike
- Meaning: Likely to occur in the near future
- Example: We solved the sales crisis, but I see more problems coming down the pike.
Note: This is informal and rather old-fashioned.
Fifteen Minutes of Fame
- Meaning: Temporary renown
- Example: The boy band had its fifteen minutes of fame with its first album, but its second album bombed.
Note: The phrase was suggested by American artist Andy Warhol, who said, “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”
Have the Time of Your Life
- Meaning: To have a very fun, exciting, or enjoyable time
- Example: I traveled to France for the first time last summer, and I had the time of my life.
In a New York Minute (Southern U.S.)
- Meaning: Very quickly
- Example: I’d buy that car in a New York minute if I had the money.
Note: This expression is regional American. New Yorkers don’t use it.
In Broad Daylight
- Meaning: When something occurs in broad daylight, it means the event is clearly visible
- Example: The gangland feud is getting so bad that people are being shot in broad daylight.
Carry the Day
- Meaning: Be victorious or successful
- Example: Teamwork and training will carry the day.
Serve Time
- Meaning: To spend time in jail as part of a prison sentence
- Example: After serving his time, the assailant will be deported back to his home country.
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
- Meaning: Said of something that is short-lived
- Example: Many of the new Internet companies are here today, gone tomorrow.
In the Blink of an Eye
- Meaning: Quickly, seemingly instantaneously
- Example: I had a beautiful family, a nice home, and lots of money. And then, in the blink of an eye, it was all gone.
In the Dark
- Meaning: Unaware of something
- Example: Kevin says he was completely in the dark about the CEO’s plans to sell the company.
In the Interim
- Meaning: It denotes a period of time between something that ended and something that happened afterwards
- Example: We’re in the process of hiring a new social media director, but in the interim we’ll have to make do with our current staff.
In the Long Run
- Meaning: Over an extended period of time
- Example: It will cost us a lot to invest in new equipment, but in the long run we’ll save money.
Note: You can also say “in the short run.”
In the Nick of Time
- Meaning: Just in time; with no time to spare
- Example: We were going to leave without you, but you got here just in the nick of time.
Living on Borrowed Time
- Meaning: Living on although threatened by death
- Example: Accidents and disease can strike so unexpectedly that it feels like we’re all living on borrowed time.
May-December (adj.)
- Meaning: Significantly different in age. Said of couples where one member is much older. The most common usage is May-December romance.
- Example: Bert is enjoying the benefits of a May-December romance. He married a much younger woman. Criticize him if you like, but he’s livelier than he’s been in years.
Month of Sundays
- Meaning: A long time, many months
- Example: I’m glad you dropped by! It’s been a month of Sundays since I saw you last.
Not Ready for Prime Time
- Meaning: Not yet perfected; inexperienced
- Example: Machine translation has improved for some languages, but for Chinese to English it’s still not ready for prime time.
Note: Prime time” on North American television is the main viewing period of 8 to 11 p.m.
On the Spot
(Idioms about Time)
- Meaning: Immediately, with no intervening time
- Example: When I said I would move to New York, she offered me the job on the spot.
On the Spur of the Moment
- Meaning: This popular saying denotes a spontaneous or sudden undertaking.
- Example: You’ve got to stop making decisions about your business on the spur of the moment like this.
Once in a Blue Moon
- Meaning: This idiom means something is rare or infrequent
- Example: Peter only comes out for a drink once in blue moon now that he has kids.
Once in a While
- Meaning: Occasionally
- Example: I don’t want to live in the city, but I enjoy visiting once in a while.
Open Season
- Meaning: A time when someone can be criticized or attacked without restriction.
- Example: It’s been open season on Susan ever since she made mistakes in the new advertising campaign. But I think she’s basically done a good job.
Note: This idiom is often used with “on,” as in the example.
Quarter Past
- Meaning: Fifteen minutes after the hour
- Example: I’ll meet you at the mall at a quarter past six, and we’ll go shopping.
Quarter To/Of
- Meaning: Fifteen minutes before the hour
- Example: I’ll meet you at the mall at a quarter to six, and we’ll see the movie.
Note: A quarter of six, used to mean X:45, is counterintuitive, but it is sometimes used.
Seize the Day
- Meaning: Take an opportunity
- Example: We should seize the day while prices are low. That won’t last forever.
Note: This is a translation of the Latin “carpe diem.”
Six Ways to (from) Sunday (UK)
- Meaning: In every possible way
- Example: After questioning me six ways to Sunday, the police finally let me go.
Take Your Time
- Meaning: Don’t hurry, work at a relaxed pace
- Example: Take your time on the exam. You don’t get a bonus for finishing quickly.
The Time is Ripe
- Meaning: If you say that the time is ripe, you mean that it is a suitable point for a particular activity
- Example: I’m waiting till the time is ripe before I tell my parents that I failed my two exams.
Time is Money
- Meaning: Time is valuable, so don’t waste it.
- Example: I can’t afford to spend a lot of time standing here talking. Time is money, you know!
Twenty-Four Seven
- Meaning: At any time
- Example: If you have problems, call me twenty-four seven; it doesn’t matter if I’m sleeping.
Note: A still stronger variant is 24/7/365.
Year In, Year Out
- Meaning: Annually without change
- Example: Our holiday party is such a bore. Year in, year out the owner makes the same dumb jokes.
Common Idioms about TIME in English | Video
Useful Idioms about Time in English.
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