60
Time: once in a blue moon A
Informal expressions relating to time We only meet once in a blue moon. [very infrequently] He’s spent all his born days in the village. [all his life] I’ll be with you in a mo / in a sec / in a tick / in less than no time / in a jiffy. [very soon] (mo and sec are short for ‘moment’ and ‘second’) Clive’s been working here for donkey’s years / since the year dot. [for a long time] We can talk about this till the cows come home, but I’m not going to change my mind. [for ever] Are you sure she gave you the book for keeps / for good? [to keep for ever] She turned up just in the nick of time – she very nearly missed the train. [only just in time] He was a famous athlete but now he’s over the hill / past it. [too old] She was a child film star but was already a has-been by the age of 20. [person who is no longer famous] Sue did her homework in a flash / at a rate of knots. [very quickly]
B
C
Adjectives relating to the passing of time adjective
meaning
common collocations
fleeting
brief or quick
glimpse, visit, smile, moment, appearance
lengthy
continuing for a long time
process, investigation, discussions, negotiations, delays
transient
lasting for only a short time; formal
effect, population, feeling, pleasure
persistent
lasting for a long time or hard to stop or get rid of
cough, problems, rumour, smell, accusations, critic, offender, failure, gossip
inexorable
continuing without hope of being stopped; formal
rise, slide, decline, pressure, advance of time
incipient
just beginning; formal
panic, rage, rebellion, stages, wrinkles, dementia
protracted
lasting for a long time or made to last longer; formal
negotiations, discussions, argument
lingering
taking a long time to leave or disappear
perfume, kiss, smile
Other useful time words Terrorists carried out simultaneous attacks on three places in the capital. [happening at the same time] Schools were closed for the duration of the President’s visit. [amount of time that it lasted] We shouldn’t prolong the meeting; we’ve already discussed the matter for an hour. [make it last longer]
I’m sorry, I can’t change the date at such short notice. [just a short time before it is due to happen] The teacher repeatedly warned the student that she would fail her exam. [many times]
126
English Vocabulary in Use Advanced
