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English idioms relating to |
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| At the drop of a hat |
If you do something at the drop of a hat, you do it
immediately and without hesitation "I've got great friends. They're ready to help out at the drop of a hat." |
| At the eleventh hour |
If something happens at the eleventh hour, it happens when it is almost too late, or at the last possible moment. "Our team won after they scored a goal at the eleventh hour." |
| Cut it/things fine |
If you cut it/things fine, you leave barely enough time to do
something. "You're counting just an hour between the airport and the train station - that's cutting things a bit fine isn't it?" |
| Never in a million years |
This expression means "absolutely never" "I will never in a million years understand why Anne married Bob." |
| Living on borrowed time | This expression refers to a period of time after an
illness or accident which could have caused death. " After heart surgery, some patients say they're living on borrowed time." |
| Make up for lost time | If you make up for lost time,
you increase your efforts or work harder to complete something or meet a deadline. "Progress has stopped because of bad weather, but we are determined to make up for lost time." |
| Nick of time | If something happens in the nick of time, it happens at the last
minute, when it is nearly too late. "The child was standing in front of the open window. His mother arrived in the nick of time." |
| Once in a blue moon |
Something that happens once in a blue
moon is something that happens rarely or hardly ever. |
| Play for time | If you play for time, you try to delay or prevent something from happening in order to gain an advantage. "He decided to play for time in the hope that the price would decrease." |
| Pressed for time | If you're pressed for time, you have hardly enough time to do
something, so you must hurry. "Sorry. I can't talk to you now - I'm a bit pressed for time." |
| A race against time | If someone is in a race against time, they have to work very quickly in order to do or finish something before a certain time. |
| Sign of the times |
This expression refers to something that shows the nature of today's
society. "The rising level of violence is a sign of the times." |
| Stand the test of time |
If something stands the test of time, people continue to find it
valuable or useful after many years. "The teaching method has stood the test of time. It is still used in schools today." |
| Time on your hands. |
If you have time on your hands, you have a lot of free
time, usually more than you need or want. "Since he retired, Bill has too much time on his hands. He should take up a hobby!" |
| Time of your life |
If you have the time of your life, you enjoy yourself very much.
"The kids had the time of their lives at Disneyland." |
| Time is ripe | If the time is ripe for something, it is the right moment to do
it. "He sold his business when the time was ripe." |
| Time on your side |
If you have time on your side, you can afford to wait before doing or achieving something. "He didn't succeed this time, but he's young enough to try again. He's got time on his side. " |
| In one's own sweet time | If you do something in your own sweet time, you take as long
as you please to do it, in spite of the orders or wishes of others. "OK, I'll do it - but in my own sweet time!" |
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