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

Time flies

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

Time, Speed, & Urgency

Time flies

Time flies
An expression used to describe the perception that time passes surprisingly quickly, especially when one is busy, engaged, or enjoying themselves.
History & Origin

This idiom is a direct translation of the Latin phrase 'tempus fugit', which was famously penned by the Roman poet Virgil in his work 'Georgics' around 29 BC. Virgil wrote, 'fugit irreparabile tempus', meaning 'it escapes, irretrievable time', to remind readers that time steals away continuously without us realizing it.

Examples
Casual Conversation

I can't believe your daughter is already starting college; time flies when you're watching them grow up.

Workplace Email

As we approach the end of the fiscal year, it is clear that time flies, so we must finalize our department budgets by Friday.

Academic Writing

Psychological studies indicate that when an individual experiences cognitive absorption during a task, they often report a distinct feeling that time flies.

News/Media

Time flies in the tech world; just five years ago, this groundbreaking AI framework didn't even exist in consumer markets.

Formal Speech

Standing before you at this ten-year reunion, I am reminded of how time flies, yet our shared dedication to public service remains entirely unchanged.

Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?

A. I need to buy a faster watch because time flies much too slowly during my three-hour biology lectures.

B. Wow, look at the clock—it is already midnight! Time flies when you are having fun with old friends.

C. The pilot announced that our flight would be delayed because the heavy storm made the time flies dangerous.

D. If you don't pack your bags right now, you will time flies and miss the train entirely.