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Time idioms Search

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Sun, 10/05/2008 - 00:00 — Chris McCarthy
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Time is a precious. Most of us don't have enough of it and
wish we had more. There are lots of English expressions Lesson Index Help Us!

using time. Here are 20 of them and what they mean. Check
them out, there's no time to lose:

on time
to be on time means not to be late. You arrive at the right
time.
Seven Letters
'The trains always run on time in my country. They are Try out this addictive word
never late.' game and compete against
other Learn English
visitors.......have you got the
time flies largest vocabulary?

This common idiom means that time passes quickly.

! " # $ % &
'Time flies when you are having fun.'

in the nick of time

This expression means that you arrive or finish something
just before it is too late. At the last possible moment.

'My team scored in the nick of time. The game was in the
last few seconds.'

turn back the hands of time

To turn back the hands of time means to go back to the
past.

'If I could turn back the hands of time, I wouldn't have

done what I did.'

save time
We save time when we do something the quick way.

'We will save time if we drive instead of taking the bus.'

spare time
In natural English, spare time has the same meaning as
free time. The things we do when we are not busy with
work or study, for example.

'In my spare time I like to learn English.'

as time goes by
As time goes by means as time passes or moves. The
passing of time.

'As time has gone by I have become less interested in

going to nightclubs on the weekends.'

out of time
Out of time means that there is no more time left to do
something. The time limit or deadline has been reached.

'Please stop writing. You are out of time. The exam has
finished.'

make time
To make time means to find the time to do something. We
have to clear some time in our schedules to do something.

'I know that you are busy, but you will have to make time
to attend the meeting.'

time for a change

Time for a change means to stop what you are doing and
start doing something else with your life.

'After working in the same job for 5 years, I now feel like it is
time for a change.'

time is money
The famous expression time is money means that your
time is a valuable commodity.

'I can't wait here all day. Time is money, you know?'

time heals all wounds

Time heals all wounds means that our feelings of hurt will
leave us time passes by. This expression usually refers to
emotional hurts and not physical ones.

'I was sad for a long time after I broke up with my boyfriend,
but time heals all wounds. I'm fine now.'

only time will tell

Only time will tell means that we can not find out the truth
or the answer yet. We will have to wait and then we will find
out in the future.

'Will we ever have peace in the world? Only time will tell.'

kill time
To kill time means to do something that is not very
interesting or important to pass time. We usually use to kill
time when we are waiting for something that will take place
later.

'We've got 4 hours until our flight leaves. What are we going
to do until then? How are we going to kill time?'

time after time

When something happens or is done time after time it
means that it happens again and again. The action repeats.

'Time after time Tom was late for school. His teacher told
him if he was late again he would be in big trouble.'

time off
Time off means to take a holiday from work.

'You are working too much. You need to take some time off.'

a waste of time
A waste of time refers to anything that is not a useful way
to spend your time. Doing something pointless or useless.

It's a waste of time calling that company. They never

answer the telephones.'

a hard time
To have a hard time means to do something that is difficult
or to suffer hardship.

'She's had a hard time recently; she lost her job and then
her mother died.'
'I had a hard time trying to find this place. The directions
you gave me were terrible!'

too much time on my hands

To have too much time on your hands means that you
have too much free time and not enough things to do.

'He watches so much TV because he has too much time on

his hands.' He needs to get a job.'

a whale of a time
To have a whale of a time means to have a great time. To
do something really fun.

'I had a whale of a time at your party. Please invite me to

your next one.

I spent 5 hours writing that report and then my

boss told me that he didn't need it. What a ___!

waste of time
time heals all wounds
kill time
in the nick of time

I like to play the guitar? What do you do in your

___?

on time
hard time
spare time
time flies

I got on the train a second before it left. I was just

___.

time for a change

in the nick of time
make time
save time

Look! I can't believe it. It's 5pm already. ___ when

you are having fun!

Out of time
Turn back the hands of time
Time flies
A whale of a time

I don't want to go on holiday to Spain again this

year. I think it's ___ and to go somewhere different.

time for a change

as time goes by
time is money
on time

___ he forgets my birthday. Every year is the same.

He never remembers.

Time after time

Time heals all wounds
Too much time on my hands
A hard time

___ if the price of oil will fall in the future.

Have a whale of a time

Out of time
As time goes by
Only time will tell

You are sad now, but you will be ok in a couple of

weeks. Remember, ___.

time is money
time after time
time heals all wounds
kill time

I'm never late for work. I always arrive ___.

spare time
right on time
as time goes by
too much time on my hands

That nightclub is fantastic! I had ___

a hard time
time is money
a whale of a time
a waste of time

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