Idiom Topics

  • The Ubiquitous Essentials

    10
    • On the other hand
    • At the end of the day
    • In the long run
    • Bear in mind
    • A piece of cake
    • Keep an eye on
    • Out of the blue
    • Rule of thumb
    • So far, so good
    • Behind the scenes

  • Everyday Casual & Workplace

    10
    • Under the weather
    • Call it a day
    • Up in the air
    • Wrap your head around
    • Break the ice
    • Get out of hand
    • Go the extra mile
    • Touch base
    • Hit the nail on the head
    • Cut corners

  • Problem Solving & Interaction

    10
    • See eye to eye
    • Read between the lines
    • Take it with a grain of salt
    • Get the hang of it
    • Give the benefit of the doubt
    • The elephant in the room
    • Hit the ground running
    • Play it by ear
    • Bite the bullet
    • Sit on the fence

  • Decisions & Perspectives

    9
    • Jump on the bandwagon
    • Cross that bridge when we come to it
    • The best of both worlds
    • A blessing in disguise
    • Once in a blue moon
    • Pull someone's leg
    • Miss the boat
    • Better late than never
    • Get your act together

  • Colorful & Traditional

    10
    • Spill the beans
    • Let the cat out of the bag
    • Bite off more than you can chew
    • Go back to the drawing board
    • Barking up the wrong tree
    • Actions speak louder than words
    • A penny for your thoughts
    • Break a leg
    • Hit the sack
    • Beat around the bush

  • Academic & Formal Discourse

    10
    • Bear fruit
    • Pave the way
    • Shed light on
    • Go hand in hand
    • Tip the scales
    • Fly in the face of
    • Bring to the table
    • Turn a blind eye
    • Draw a blank
    • State of the art

  • Emotions & Reactions

    10
    • Over the moon
    • Down in the dumps
    • On edge
    • Blow off steam
    • Keep your cool
    • Drive someone up the wall
    • On cloud nine
    • A weight off my shoulders
    • At your wits' end
    • Thrilled to bits

  • Effort, Success, & Failure

    10
    • Start from scratch
    • Pass with flying colors
    • Fall flat
    • Go down the drain
    • Keep your head above water
    • Pay off
    • Throw in the towel
    • Make headway
    • Uphill battle
    • Back to square one

  • Time, Speed, & Urgency

    10
    • Beat the clock
    • At the eleventh hour
    • Around the clock
    • In the nick of time
    • Drag your feet
    • Time flies
    • Make up for lost time
    • Call time on
    • Ahead of the curve
    • On the spur of the moment

  • Resources, Money, & Value

    10
    • Make ends meet
    • Foot the bill
    • Break the bank
    • Tighten your belt
    • Bang for your buck
    • A drop in the ocean
    • Make a killing
    • On a shoestring budget
    • Worth your weight in gold
    • Pay top dollar

Call time on

Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Call time on" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourTime, Speed, & Urgency collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.

Time, Speed, & Urgency

Call time on

Call time on
To decide that something must finish, stop, or come to an end.
History & Origin

This idiom originates from British pub culture and licensing laws. Historically, a pub landlord or bartender would literally 'call time' by ringing a bell or shouting to signal to customers that the legal drinking hours had ended and they needed to finish their drinks. Over time, the phrase expanded past the pub setting to describe ending any long-term activity, project, or career.

Examples
Workplace Email

After three months of underperformance and minimal engagement, the management team has decided to call time on the joint marketing campaign.

Casual Conversation

My legs are absolutely killing me after that hike, so I think it's time to call time on our walk and head back to the car.

Academic Writing

Economic pressures ultimately forced the governing body to call time on the subsidization program, despite its initial social benefits.

News/Media

The legendary midfielder announced today that he will call time on his professional football career at the end of the current season.

Formal Speech

As we look toward the future, we must call time on these outdated practices and embrace sustainable methods moving forward.

Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?

A. I need to call time on my phone to check if the delivery driver has arrived yet.

B. Because the business was losing thousands of dollars every week, the board voted to call time on the failing project.

C. Can you please call time on the meeting so everyone knows what hour we are supposed to start tomorrow?

D. She decided to call time on her alarm clock because it was ringing too loudly in the morning.