Time Idioms and Expressions: 70+ Phrases About Time

English speakers lean on time expressions constantly: at work, in stories, in apologies, in warnings, and in small talk. We can run out of time, save time, lose time, make time, or feel as if time has stopped altogether. That sounds strange if taken literally, but these phrases make an abstract idea easier to picture. This guide gathers more than 70 common time-related idioms and expressions, with clear meanings and notes on where some of them come from.

How English Talks About Time

The English word "time" goes back to Old English tīma, which came from Proto-Germanic *tīmô. It meant a period, a season, or a bounded stretch of existence. The related word "tide" once referred not only to the sea’s movement but also to time itself, showing how old these ideas are in English.

Linguist George Lakoff has described two major ways English speakers imagine time. Sometimes time moves toward us, as in "the time will come." At other times, we seem to move through time, as in "we're approaching the deadline." Those two mental pictures help explain many of the everyday phrases below.

When Time Seems to Move

• "In the blink of an eye" — So fast that it feels almost instant.
• "Time marches on" — Time keeps moving no matter what people feel or do.
• "Time flies" — Time seems to pass quickly, often during enjoyable moments. It comes from the Latin tempus fugit.
• "As time goes by" — As days, months, or years continue to pass.
• "Time stood still" — A powerful moment when everything seems frozen.
• "Before you know it" — Earlier or faster than you expected.
• "The sands of time" — The movement of time, based on sand falling through an hourglass.
• "In no time" — Very soon; with hardly any delay.
• "Time drags" — Time feels slow, especially when something is dull or unpleasant.
• "Time heals all wounds" — Sadness, grief, or emotional pain tends to soften with time.

Pressure, Hurry, and Deadlines

• "The clock is ticking" — There is less and less time left, so the pressure is rising.
• "Beat the clock" — Finish something before the available time runs out.
• "Eleventh hour" — The final possible moment, from the biblical parable about workers hired at the eleventh hour.
• "Against the clock" — Working under strong time pressure.
• "Time's up" — The allowed time has ended.
• "Crunch time" — The decisive stretch when intense effort is needed.
• "In the nick of time" — Just in time, with almost no margin. A "nick" was a notch used to mark time or keep score.
• "On borrowed time" — Continuing past the expected limit, often after illness, danger, or near failure.
• "Down to the wire" — At the very last moment; the phrase comes from horse racing, where a wire marked the finish line.
• "Time is of the essence" — Quick action is critically necessary.
• "Race against time" — Try to complete something before a deadline arrives.

Expressions for Losing Time

• "Spin your wheels" — Work or try without making real progress.
• "Dilly-dally" — Delay by being indecisive or aimless.
• "Kill time" — Do something mainly to make waiting feel shorter.
• "Burn daylight" — Waste useful time; Shakespeare used this expression in Romeo and Juliet.
• "Twiddle your thumbs" — Sit around doing nothing while waiting.
• "A waste of time" — Something that does not deserve the time spent on it.
• "Beat around the bush" — Avoid saying the main point directly.
• "Waste time" — Use time in an unproductive way.
• "Drag your feet" — Put something off on purpose. It is also a body part idiom.

Being Early, Late, or Right on Schedule

• "Right place, right time" — Being in a lucky position when an opportunity appears.
• "Ahead of time" — Earlier than planned, expected, or required.
• "On the dot" — Exactly at the named time.
• "Ahead of one's time" — Having ideas or methods too advanced for the period.
• "Timing is everything" — The moment when you act can determine whether you succeed.
• "Fashionably late" — Arriving a little late in a way meant to seem socially acceptable or stylish.
• "Behind the times" — Old-fashioned or not up to date.
• "Better late than never" — Doing something late is still better than not doing it at all.
• "In the fullness of time" — When the proper moment finally comes.

Looking Back at Earlier Days

• "Once upon a time" — Long ago; the familiar opening of many fairy tales.
• "Water under the bridge" — Past events that no longer need attention or worry.
• "Blast from the past" — A person, object, song, or memory that suddenly brings back an earlier period.
• "Back in the day" — During an earlier time, usually said with nostalgia and informally.
• "That ship has sailed" — The chance is gone. The phrase connects with nautical language.
• "A bygone era" — A period that belongs to the past.
• "The good old days" — A fond, often idealized memory of the past.
• "Turn back the clock" — Go back to an earlier condition or undo the effects of time.

Talking About What Comes Next

• "When the time is ripe" — When circumstances are right for action.
• "A matter of time" — Something is expected to happen sooner or later.
• "Tomorrow is another day" — The future may bring a fresh chance or a better mood.
• "Only time will tell" — The answer or result will become clear later.
• "Cross that bridge when you come to it" — Handle a problem when it actually appears, not before.
• "Mark my words" — Remember this prediction; the speaker believes time will prove it true.
• "Time is on your side" — You can afford to wait because time may help the outcome.

Time Treated Like Something Valuable

• "Pressed for time" — Having very little time to spare.
• "Spend time" — Use time on a person, task, or activity, treating it like currency.
• "Time well spent" — Time used in a way that was useful, meaningful, or pleasant.
• "Buy time" — Create a delay so you have more time to act.
• "Running out of time" — Having almost no time left.
• "Time is money" — Time has real value; the expression was popularized by Benjamin Franklin.
• "Invest time" — Put time into something because you expect a later benefit.
• "Make up for lost time" — Try to recover from delay, absence, or wasted time.
• "Save time" — Do something more efficiently so less time is needed.
• "Borrow time" — Get a temporary extension or short period of extra time.

Life Stages and Aging

• "No spring chicken" (from "spring chicken") — Not young anymore.
• "The twilight years" — The final years of a person's life.
• "In the prime of life" — At the strongest or healthiest stage of life.
• "Long in the tooth" — Old; the phrase comes from horses, whose gums recede with age and make the teeth look longer.
• "Turn of the century" — The change from one century to the next.
• "A ripe old age" — A very advanced age, especially after a long life.
• "Over the hill" — Past one's peak or getting old.

Old Sayings About Time

• "Rome wasn't built in a day" — Big accomplishments require time and patience.
• "There's no time like the present" — Now is the best moment to begin.
• "Time and tide wait for no man" — Time, natural forces, and opportunities do not stop for anyone.
• "All in good time" — Things will happen when the right moment arrives.
• "A stitch in time saves nine" — Solving a small problem early can prevent a larger one later. It is one of the oldest English proverbs about time.
• "Patience is a virtue" — Waiting calmly is a good quality.
• "Haste makes waste" — Rushing often causes errors.
• "Strike while the iron is hot" — Take action while conditions are favorable.

Final Thoughts

Time expressions show how English turns an invisible idea into something concrete. Time can behave like money, a moving force, a deadline, a memory, or a stage of life. Some phrases are practical, such as "pressed for time"; others are poetic, like "the sands of time." Learning them will help you understand natural English in conversation, writing, films, and workplace situations. They are also a useful part of building fluency, because they carry both meaning and cultural habit in just a few words.