lose time
Idioms & Phrases
lose time
-
Operate too slowly. For example, My watch loses time, or This clock loses five minutes a day. This usage is always applied to a timepiece. [Mid-1800s]
-
Waste time, delay, as in We wanted to paint the entire porch today, but we lost time trying to find a color that matched the house. This expression is sometimes put negatively as , meaning "act immediately" or "not delay," as in We must lose no time in getting him to the hospital. [Late 1500s] Also see make up for lost time.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Explore Dictionary.com
More from Thesaurus.com
Synonyms and Antonyms for lose time
More from Reference.com
Search for articles containing lose time
More from Dictionary.com Translator
Translate lose time into French
Translate lose time into German
Translate lose time into Italian
Translate lose time into another language
00:10
Lose time
is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
Dictionary.com Word FAQs
Dictionary.com presents 366 FAQs, incorporating some of the frequently asked questions from the past with newer queries.
Related Searches
Nearby Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
