⏳ Time Flies: Chasing Fleeting Moments 🕰
“Time flies” – what an apt description of how time seems to sprint past us, often at the speed of light (or at least a speedy pigeon). This idiom evokes the swiftness of passing hours, months, and years, especially when life is busy or filled with enjoyment.
Time flies - Time moves swiftly onward. Time was said to fly or flee by numerous ancients, especially the Romans, for whom Tempus fugit (translated as “time flies,” although it also means “flees”) was a well-known proverb. Chaucer wrote, “For though we sleep or wake, or rome, or ryde, Ay fleeth the tyme, it nil no man abyde” (The Clerk’s Tale). Occasionally the term was amplified, such as “Time flies as swiftly as an arrow” (in Ken Hoshino’s translation of Kaibaka Ekken’s Ten Kun, 1710). Today, we sometimes say, “how time flies,” occasionally amplified (either seriously or satirically) with “when you’re having fun.”
Related Expressions & Synonyms
- Tempus fugit: The Latin phrase translating to “time flies.”
- Time waits for no one: An acknowledgment that time is inexorable and doesn’t pause for anyone.
- In the blink of an eye: A nod to how quickly everything changes.
- The sands of time are running out: Portraying time as sand in an hourglass, slipping away inexorably.
Antonyms
- Time stands still: Describing a moment where time feels paused or endless.
- Time drags on: When moments feel prolonged and slow-moving.
Humor and Wit
- “Time flies like an arrow – fruit flies like a banana.” – Groucho Marx
- “Time flutters by but does not land.” – Wit for any avian enthusiasts out there!
Famous Proverbs and References
- “Time and tide wait for no man.” – Ain’t that the truth!
- “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.” – Robert Herrick
Featured in Literature, Books, and Art
- Tempus Fugit by William Shakespeare: Throughout his plays, Shakespeare often references the fleeting nature of time.
- The Clock by E.B. White: A poetic exploration of time’s steady passage.
Inspirational Thought
“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” — Sam Levenson
Quiz Time! 📝
In every second and heartbeat, remember, time flies – so make every moment count!
- Tempus Quickstep, 2023
