Manage your time more effectively and express yourself with confidence on time-related matters by learning English idioms about time.
11 topics124 words
Frequency12 words
day and nightphrasein way that continues to happen all the time with no stop
(at|) all hoursphraseat any given hour, particularly a time that is late
from day to dayphraseused for referring to a frequent change from something to another
nine times out of tenphrasenearly all the time
off and onadverbin a way that is not continuous or regular
once in a blue moonphraseused for saying that something can only happen on very rare occasions
once in a lifetimephraseused for referring to a very special opportunity that most likely will not be offered more than once to someone
(in|at) one fell swoopphrasein a single action, without delay or hesitation
twenty-four sevenphrasein a manner that is consistent
time after timephraseon multiple occasions
(as|) regular as clockworkphraseused to describe a person who always manages to arrive or get things done at the agreed or proper time
(as) regular as clockworkphraseused to describe something that happens at fixed intervals or follows a consistent pattern without fail
Span & Duration10 words
(since|from) (the|) year onephrasefrom a time that has begun a long ago
down the roadphraseat a point in time as a process or action continues or is being carried out
bankers' hoursphrasea work day that is short compared to total hours of most jobs
(in|over) the long runphrasein the end of or over a long period of time
(till|until) the cows come homephraseused to describe a prolonged or indefinite period of time, often implying that something will continue for a very long duration
to [come] and [go]phraseto last only for a short period of time
many moonsphraseused to refer to a long passage of time or a significant number of months or years
(somewhere|) (along|down) the linephraseat an unspecified point during a series of events or a process
month of Sundaysphrasea very prolonged period of time
(since|from) time immemorialphraseused to say that something has existed or been done for an extremely long time, to the point where its origin or beginning is unknown or forgotten
Continuity9 words
(till|until) {sb} [drop]phraseto a point where one is very tired and has no more energy to keep on
from (the|) cradle to (the|) gravephrasethrough the whole life span of a person
donkey's yearsphrasea long period of time
to [go] back a long wayphraseto have been present for a long time, as in conflicts or business
like clockworkphrasein a way that is very regular or precisely as planned
around the clockadjectivenon-stop and continuing through the whole day and night
fits and startsphrasesomething that cannot continue to work or make progress without stops or interruptions
day in, day outphrasehappening or done on a daily basis
go back a long wayphraseto have a long history or past relationship with someone or something
Late or Early15 words
(till|until) all hours (of the day and night|)phraseused to refer to a really late hour at night or early morning
late in the dayphrasetoo late or close to the end of a particular period or situation to be useful or effective
a day after the fairphrasea time that is too late for something
at the crack of dawnphraseat a very early time in the morning when the Sun is just rising
bright and earlyphraseat an hour of the morning that is really early
first lightnounthe time of the morning when the Sun has just started to shine..
at {one's} earliest conveniencephraseat the earliest time that it is possible or suitable for someone to do something
(about|high) timephraseused to indicate that something should have happened or been done earlier
the eleventh hourphraseat the last moment that it is still possible to do something
the small hoursphraseused to refer to early morning hours or the hours after the midnight
a day late and a dollar shortphrasesomething that appears or arrives too late to be of any use or benefit
before the ink [is] [dry]phraseright after the finalization of a deal, agreement, etc.
the last minutephrasethe final moment or deadline to do something
light years awayphrasea distant moment or period in the future or past that is often marked by significant technological, cultural, or historical changes
at one's earliest conveniencephraseat the earliest time that it is possible or suitable for someone to do something
Fast or Slowly17 words
to [watch] the clockphraseto repeatedly check what time it is because time seems to pass slowly and one is bored or tired
time fliessentenceused to convey the idea that time passes quickly or seems to move swiftly
at the drop of a (hat|dime)phrasewith no hesitation
in a tricephrasewithin a very short time
in two shakesphrasesoon or in a quick manner
on a dimephraseused to describe something, typically an action or change, that is done without any difficulty or hesitation
(right|) out of the [gate]phraseused to mean something happens or is done immediately
at a (single|) strokephraseaccomplishing or achieving something in one decisive action or with a single effort
now or neverphraseused to suggest that right now is the only time a person has a chance for taking an opportunity or else they lose it forever
time will tellsentenceused to mean that by passing time it will be proved if something is true, valid, or effective
cold turkeyphrasein a manner that is sudden, unexpected, and not gradual
in the (blink|twinkle) of an eyephrasevery quickly or suddenly
(right|) off the batphrasein an instant and with no delay
slow daynouna long day that is unproductive and boring
by degreesphraseused to refer to a process that occurs slowly or step by step over time, rather than happening suddenly or all at once
before {sb} (can|could) say Jack Robinsonphraseso suddenly or quickly that leaves one with no time to react or notice anything
on the spotphrasein a way that is instant and has no delay
The Near Future8 words
in the shadow of {sth}phrasevery near to something in terms of time
(in|at) no time (at all|flat|)phraseused when something is done very soon or very fast
New York minutenounan extremely brief time duration
on the horizonphraseused for saying that probably something will happen or will be done in a short time
down the linephraseat a later point in time or in the future
around the cornerphraseused for saying that something will happen in a very near future
at handphraseused to refer to an upcoming event that will happen within a short time
in the windphraseused to describe something that probably happens in near future
The Right Time6 words
in {one's} (own|) sweet timephraseas the pace one prefers, even though others expect one to act faster
the time [is] ripesentenceused to refer to a suitable time in which a particular activity can be done
on cuephraseexactly on the desirable or expected time
at {one's} conveniencephraseat a place or time that one is comfortable with
on the dotphraseexactly at a time that is expected or decided upon
under the wirephrasecompleting or achieving something just before a deadline
Putting Off10 words
to [drag] {one's} (feet|heels)phraseto purposefully act slowly
rain checknounrefusal or cancellation of an invitation, offer, or plan with intention of accepting it or doing it at another time instead
to [buy] timephraseto put something off in order to gain more time
to [kick] the can down the roadphraseto keep postponing problems one must deal with
on icephraseused to refer to something that is temporarily inactive or postponed
to [sit] on {one's} handsphraseto refrain from taking action when one should
on the fencephraseused to show indecision over something
to [put] off (until|till) tomorrow what {sb} can do todayphraseto decide to do something that needs to taken care of right now at another time
to [play] for timephraseto try to delay the occurrence of something so that one can prevent it from happening or have more time to properly prepare for it
on holdphrasein a suspended state to be considered and dealt with in the future
Haste15 words
twenty-three skidoophraseused to describe a sudden departure or a hasty retreat
to [haul] assphraseto leave a place or move really fast or with haste
to [move] {one's} [ass]phraseto do something very hurriedly, often used when demanding someone to move or leave quickly
against the clockphraseas quickly as one possibly can because there is not much time available
to [beat] the clockphraseto complete a task or achieve a goal before a deadline or a specific time limit
to [cut] (it|things) closephraseto manage to do something just before the time is over
to [get] a move onphraseto do something more quickly in order not to be late
to [get] {one's} [ass] (in|into) gearphraseto begin doing something much more quickly
to [jump] the gunphraseto do something too earlier than its right time
shake a legsentencesaid as a way of asking someone to begin doing something or continue doing it faster than before
the clock [is] ticking (down|)sentenceused as a warning to remind one that the time that is left for doing something is about to be over
to [get] the lead outphraseto begin hurrying up or moving faster
a race against (time|the clock)phraseused for describing a situation when there is only a little time available and one must hurry up in order to get something done
white rabbitnounsomeone who is late for getting somewhere and anxiously tries to get there
pedal to the metalphraseused to say that something is done with great speed and determination
Waiting9 words
to [cool] {one's} heelsphraseto be forced to wait for a person or anticipate something
the dust [settle]phraseto allow or wait for a situation to become calmer or more stable after a significant change or serious dispute
to [bide] {one's} timephraseto patiently wait and avoid taking action until one finds a suitable or advantageous time
to [hold] {one's} breathphraseto wait for something anxiously or eagerly
to [hold] {one's} horsesphraseto hold on and not to rush into doing something, often used imperatively
keep {one's} (shirt|pants) onsentenceused for telling a person to be more patient or to think before reacting angrily
to [let] the grass grow under {one's} feetphraseto spend time wastefully or do something with delay
to [hang] tightphraseto stop doing anything for a while
how the land [lie]phrasethe assessment or understanding of the current state or conditions of a particular situation or context, specifically at a specific point or period
Time13 words
red-letter daynouna day that will always be remembered by an exceptionally good thing that has happened on it
zero hournounthe specific moment when an event or action is scheduled to begin or take place
moment of truthphrasethe time in which a critical event or action happens
turning pointnouna point at which a drastic change occurs in a situation, especially one that makes it improve
on the other side of {sth}phraseused for referring to the time after something has happened or been done
to [come|follow] (hot|close|hard) on the heels of {sth}phraseto happen very closely after something else has happened
black daynouna day of great misfortune and unhappiness
in the (same|next) breathphraseused when something happens almost at the same time as another
to [lose] track of timephraseto have no idea how much time has passed or what has happened
to [have] time on {one's} handsphraseto not be busy with anything
to [run|take] its coursephraseto go through a process in a way that is natural, normal, or expected
to [be] early days (yet|)phraseto be too soon to determine what something will result in, particularly because it is still in its early stages of development
out of seasonphraseduring the time of year that a type of food, vegetable, or fruit is not naturally grown or easily found
Learn all 124 words in this list with spaced repetition