Time idioms

Time is precious. Most of us don't have enough of it and wish we had more. There are lots of English expressions 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. 'The trains always run on time in my country. They are never late.'

time flies

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.

Quize:

·         I spent 5 hours writing that report and then my boss told me that he didn't need it. What a ___!

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

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

spare time
hard time
time flies
on time

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

time for a change
save time
make time
in the nick of time

·         Look! I can't believe it. It's 5pm already. ___ when you are having fun!

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

·         I don't want to go on holiday to Spain again this year. I think it's ___ and to go somewhere different.

on time
time for a change
time is money
as time goes by

·         ___ he forgets my birthday. Every year is the same. He never remembers.

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

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

Only time will tell
Have a whale of a time
Out of time
As time goes by

·         You are sad now, but you will be ok in a couple of weeks. Remember, ___.

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

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

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

·         That nightclub is fantastic! I had ___

a whale of a time
a hard time
time is money
a waste of time              http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/time-idioms