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Download the Time Idioms List & PDF Worksheets
View the updated web-version of the time idioms list in the table below.
The idiom worksheets and games are also free to download.
- Download and print the PDFs.
- Use the materials for interactive learning activities in class.
- Students can also complete the worksheets to review or for self-study.
Time Idiom Worksheets for ESL Students
Worksheet A: Defining Idioms & Writing Sentences with Idioms
Worksheet B: Reading Idioms in Context & Describing Meanings
Fun Time Idiom Games for the Classroom
Time Idioms Checklist (for BINGO)
41 Idioms and Phrases About Time
*Updated: November 2021
| Idiom / Phrase | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| a hell of a time | a difficult (or exciting) experience | Her grandmother had a hell of a time trying to connect to the internet. |
| a matter of time | when something is inevitable | It's only a matter of time until they find a cure for cancer. |
| a whale of a time | an exciting experience | The family had a whale of a time at the theme park. |
| about time | said to convey impatience | I've been waiting for you for an hour. It's about time you arrived! |
| ahead of time | earlier than the deadline | Finish your work ahead of time so you can enjoy your hobbies. |
| around the clock | without stopping | The pharmacy is open around the clock. It never closes. |
| beat the clock | finish something before the deadline | The paperwork was piled high, but she manages to beat the clock and finish it all. |
| better late than never | doing something late is better than not doing it | You finally visited the dentist. Better late than never! |
| bide your time | relax and take your time doing something | Bide your time and take a look through the restaurant menu. There are no other customers. |
| born yesterday | inexperienced | Were you born yesterday? You have to pay your credit card quickly to avoid serious debt. |
| borrowed time | an uncertain length of time that may end suddenly | Everyone is living off of borrowed time. Enjoy every day as if it is your last. |
| call it a day | finish work | Let's call it a day. It's time to go home. |
| catch you later | see you later | I have to go home now. Catch you later! |
| crunch time | a critical period | Crunch time in most sports comes down to the final few minutes of a game. |
| do time | go to prison | Franky has to do time for all those crimes that he was convicted of. |
| down time | relaxing time | You need to have some down time after a long day at work. |
| every dog has its day | everyone has success eventually | Keep shooting and you will score. Every dog has its day. |
| get with the times | to get up-to-date with the modern era | Time to get with the times and buy an electric car. |
| give a hard time | tease or bother someone | Stop giving your little brother a hard time and help him with his homework. |
| high time | the right time to accomplish something | It's high time to solve this budget problem. |
| in no time | very quickly | It's so easy. I will be finished the assignment in no time. |
| in the long run | in the long term | She hates doing homework but in the long run it will make her successful. |
| in the nick of time | just in time | He caught the train in the nick of time just before it departed. |
| kill time | pass time aimlessly | Most people kill time by swiping through their iPhone apps. |
| make up for lost time | to catch up with something after disregarding it for a long time | Let's make up for lost time and hang out all week. |
| on my watch | during my time on duty | I told the workers that they couldn't sleep on my watch. They can sleep when they get home. |
| pressed for time | having limited time available | The doctor was really pressed for time, so he misdiagnosed the illness. |
| put on ice | postpone | Let's put this problem on ice and get back to it tomorrow. |
| question of time | an inevitability or eventuality | It's only a question of time until all cars drive themselves. |
| serve time | spend time in prison | Chuck served time in prison so it is difficult for him to get hired. |
| ship has sailed | a lost opportunity | Jack was thinking of marrying Jane but that ship has sailed. She married Zack instead. |
| the big time | a situation involving fame or success | The actress was ready for the big time when she was nominated for the award. |
| the eleventh hour | last chance to do something | Just before the deadline, the student submitted the assignment at the eleventh hour. |
| third time's a charm | the third time is usually successful | I tried unlocking the door twice already. I hope the third time's a charm. |
| time flies | time goes very fast | Our vacation is over already? Time flies! |
| time is money | time is valuable | We can't wait here all day. Time is money! |
| time of your life | an enjoyable time of your life | Did you have the time of your life when you were a teenager? |
| time to run | time to leave | It's time to run. I need to go an pick up my kids from school. |
| time will tell | the outcome will soon be known | Only time will tell what happens to the human race. |
| two-time | cheat or betray | His girlfriend was two-timing him by sleeping with the plumber. |
| until the cows come home | for a long time | She can watch Netflix until the cows come home. |
Extra Examples of Time Idioms in Use
Do you want to read more examples and sentences with time idioms?
Try entering the expressions in a corpus database or language app.
We highly recommend the following corpus resources and tools: