English Idioms
- Intermediate
Unit 32 – Time 2 – Clocks and
Frequency
• If you do
something against
the clock, you do
it as fast as
possible and try to
finish it before a
certain time.
• Almost instantly, immediately, as
in The train will be here in no
time at all , or he'll be finished
in less than no time
• The idiom "not have
a minute to call
one's own" is
believed to have
originated in the
late 19th century.
This phrase is used
to describe a
situation where
someone is extremely
busy or has a lot of
responsibilities,
leaving them with no
free time to relax or
don’t have a
minute to myself
• Very early morning,
daybreak. For example, I
got up at the crack of dawn
. The crack in this term
alludes either to the
suddenness of sunrise or to
the small wedge of light
appearing as the sun rises
over the horizon.
• Extremely rare, especially as an
opportunity. For example, An offer
like that will come just once in a
lifetime .
now and for the last time; finally.
• intermittently.
• "it rained on and off most of the
afternoon"
on nearly every
occasion.
Running smoothly, working
very well.