Have you ever imagined going back to the past or jumping into the future? Time travel is a fun idea that shows up in movies, books, and games. People dream about changing the past or seeing what happens years from now. Even though time travel isn’t real, we still talk about it in fun and clever ways using special phrases.
These special phrases are called idioms. Idioms don’t mean exactly what the words say. Instead, they have meanings that people understand through use. Idioms about time travel help us talk about memories, the future, and time passing fast or slow. In this article, we will explore many time travel idioms. You’ll see what they mean and how to use them in everyday talk.
Idioms About Time Travel
1. Time flies
Meaning: Time passes quickly.
Example Sentence:
– Summer vacation flew by so fast!
– Time flies when you’re having fun.
Other ways to say: Time goes fast, it’s over before you know it
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the old idea that time has wings and can fly.
Usage: Used when time feels like it passed quickly without noticing.
2. Lost in time
Meaning: Something forgotten or from long ago.
Example Sentence:
– That old game is lost in time.
– Some traditions are lost in time.
Other ways to say: Forgotten, from the past
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in stories about the past.
Usage: Used when talking about things people no longer remember.
3. Ahead of your time
Meaning: Having ideas or skills that are very modern for the time.
Example Sentence:
– Her science project was ahead of her time.
– That inventor was ahead of his time.
Other ways to say: Smart early, future thinker
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from thinking like someone in the future.
Usage: Used when someone does something advanced before others do.
4. Behind the times
Meaning: Not keeping up with current ideas or things.
Example Sentence:
– My grandpa’s phone is behind the times.
– That old rule is behind the times.
Other ways to say: Old-fashioned, outdated
Fun Fact/Origin: Means someone is still living in the past.
Usage: Used when something seems out of date.
5. In the blink of an eye
Meaning: Something happens very fast.
Example Sentence:
– The weekend was over in the blink of an eye.
– The deer ran off in the blink of an eye.
Other ways to say: Very fast, in a flash
Fun Fact/Origin: A blink is very short, just like this idiom’s meaning.
Usage: Used when something is over quickly.
6. Turn back the clock
Meaning: To go back in time.
Example Sentence:
– I wish we could turn back the clock to summer.
– He wants to turn back the clock and fix his mistake.
Other ways to say: Go back in time, relive
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of rewinding a clock.
Usage: Used when people want to return to an earlier time.
7. Time traveler’s tale
Meaning: A story that mixes past and future.
Example Sentence:
– The movie felt like a time traveler’s tale.
– That dream was like a time traveler’s tale.
Other ways to say: Sci-fi story, time trip
Fun Fact/Origin: Inspired by stories about time travel.
Usage: Used when a story jumps through time.
8. Stuck in the past
Meaning: Thinking too much about old times.
Example Sentence:
– He’s stuck in the past with his music choices.
– Don’t get stuck in the past—move on!
Other ways to say: Living in the past, can’t let go
Fun Fact/Origin: Used when someone won’t accept change.
Usage: Used to talk about people who can’t move forward.
9. Fast forward
Meaning: To move ahead quickly.
Example Sentence:
– Let’s fast forward to the fun part of the movie.
– I wish I could fast forward through Monday.
Other ways to say: Skip ahead, jump forward
Fun Fact/Origin: From VCRs and video controls.
Usage: Used when people want to move to a future point.
10. Back to square one
Meaning: To start over from the beginning.
Example Sentence:
– The puzzle broke, so we’re back to square one.
– After the mistake, we had to go back to square one.
Other ways to say: Start again, from the top
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from board games with numbered squares.
Usage: Used when someone has to start again after a failure.
11. Beat the clock
Meaning: To finish something before time runs out.
Example Sentence:
– We beat the clock and turned in our test on time.
– The team beat the clock and won the game.
Other ways to say: Finish early, race the clock
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in sports and games.
Usage: Used when someone does something fast before a deadline.
12. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Something that happens rarely.
Example Sentence:
– We eat out only once in a blue moon.
– A snowy day in Texas happens once in a blue moon.
Other ways to say: Rarely, not often
Fun Fact/Origin: A blue moon is a rare second full moon in a month.
Usage: Used for rare events.
13. Killing time
Meaning: Doing something just to pass time.
Example Sentence:
– We played cards to kill time at the airport.
– He was reading comics to kill time.
Other ways to say: Pass time, fill the gap
Fun Fact/Origin: Doesn’t mean actual harm—it’s just an expression.
Usage: Used when waiting and trying to stay busy.
14. Time stood still
Meaning: A moment that feels frozen in time.
Example Sentence:
– When she said yes, time stood still.
– The room was so quiet it felt like time stood still.
Other ways to say: Everything paused, frozen moment
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in books and songs often.
Usage: Used to describe important or emotional moments.
15. Time on your hands
Meaning: Having extra free time.
Example Sentence:
– With no homework, I had time on my hands.
– She used the time on her hands to clean her room.
Other ways to say: Free time, nothing to do
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of holding time like an object.
Usage: Used when someone has extra time and no tasks.
16. Race against time
Meaning: To hurry because there is not much time.
Example Sentence:
– It was a race against time to finish before the bell.
– Doctors had a race against time to help the patient.
Other ways to say: Hurry up, beat the deadline
Fun Fact/Origin: Used when time is running out fast.
Usage: Used when someone must finish something very quickly.
17. Out of time
Meaning: No time left to do something.
Example Sentence:
– We ran out of time before finishing the game.
– The test ended, and he was out of time.
Other ways to say: Time’s up, no more time
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in sports and games.
Usage: Used when time ends before the task is done.
18. A blast from the past
Meaning: Something that reminds you of the past.
Example Sentence:
– That song is a blast from the past!
– Seeing my old toys was a blast from the past.
Other ways to say: Memory, old reminder
Fun Fact/Origin: Used when something old shows up again.
Usage: Used for surprises from earlier times.
19. Save time
Meaning: To do something faster or easier.
Example Sentence:
– Using a calculator saves time on math.
– Pre-cut veggies save time when cooking.
Other ways to say: Make it quick, do it faster
Fun Fact/Origin: People always look for ways to use time better.
Usage: Used when talking about doing things in less time.
20. Turn of the century
Meaning: The time when one century ends and another begins.
Example Sentence:
– That building was made at the turn of the century.
– Styles changed a lot at the turn of the century.
Other ways to say: End/start of a century
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used when talking about 1900 or 2000.
Usage: Used in history or stories about past times.
21. Only time will tell
Meaning: You have to wait and see what happens.
Example Sentence:
– Only time will tell if the team wins the playoffs.
– Only time will tell if the new idea works.
Other ways to say: We’ll see, time will show
Fun Fact/Origin: Used when the future is not clear.
Usage: Used when the outcome is unknown.
22. A matter of time
Meaning: Something will happen, just not yet.
Example Sentence:
– It’s only a matter of time before it rains.
– He’ll win a game soon—it’s just a matter of time.
Other ways to say: It’ll happen, sooner or later
Fun Fact/Origin: This shows how we wait for things.
Usage: Used when something is expected to happen soon.
23. Living on borrowed time
Meaning: Living longer than expected, or still going after a close call.
Example Sentence:
– That old truck is living on borrowed time.
– After the storm, the treehouse was living on borrowed time.
Other ways to say: Lucky to still have time, near the end
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of borrowing time like money.
Usage: Used when something continues longer than expected.
24. Big moment in time
Meaning: A very important or special time.
Example Sentence:
– Graduation is a big moment in time.
– That day was a big moment in time for our family.
Other ways to say: Special time, major event
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used for life changes.
Usage: Used for things that change your life.
25. In no time
Meaning: Very quickly or soon.
Example Sentence:
– He finished his homework in no time.
– The food was ready in no time.
Other ways to say: Very fast, right away
Fun Fact/Origin: Means almost zero time passed.
Usage: Used when something happens fast.
26. Freeze time
Meaning: To stop time, usually in imagination.
Example Sentence:
– I wish I could freeze time during vacation.
– The moment was so perfect, I wanted to freeze time.
Other ways to say: Pause life, stop the moment
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in movies and daydreams.
Usage: Used when someone wants a moment to last longer.
27. Time warp
Meaning: Feeling like time moved strangely—too fast or too slow.
Example Sentence:
– That spooky house felt like a time warp.
– We were so busy, it was like a time warp!
Other ways to say: Time felt weird, strange time
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from science fiction stories.
Usage: Used when time feels unusual or off.
28. Travel down memory lane
Meaning: To think about or talk about past memories.
Example Sentence:
– We traveled down memory lane looking at old school photos.
– Grandma traveled down memory lane when she heard that song.
Other ways to say: Remember the good old days, look back
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom paints the past like a road you can walk along.
Usage: Used when someone is remembering happy or meaningful moments from the past.
Quiz: Idioms About Time Travel
This quiz has 10 questions with three choices each. It’s written in a simple and fun style for 5th-grade students in the USA.
Question Key
1. What does “time flies” mean?
A) Time moves slowly
B) Time goes by quickly
C) Time stands still
2. If something is “lost in time,” what does it mean?
A) It’s forgotten or from long ago
B) It’s happening right now
C) It’s a future idea
3. What does “ahead of your time” mean?
A) You’re late to everything
B) You have old ideas
C) You have smart ideas before others
4. What does “back to square one” mean?
A) You’re finishing early
B) You’re starting over
C) You’re playing a game
5. If you “beat the clock,” what did you do?
A) You broke a clock
B) You missed your deadline
C) You finished before time ran out
6. What does “once in a blue moon” mean?
A) It happens all the time
B) It happens rarely
C) It happens every full moon
7. If someone is “stuck in the past,” what does it mean?
A) They only think about the future
B) They forget old things
C) They can’t stop thinking about old times
8. What does “in the blink of an eye” mean?
A) Something happened slowly
B) Something happened very fast
C) Someone blinked too much
9. What does “freeze time” mean?
A) To stop time during a moment
B) To go outside in winter
C) To make your watch cold
10. If someone says “back in the day,” what are they talking about?
A) The weather
B) The future
C) A time long ago
Answer Key
- B – Time goes by quickly
- A – It’s forgotten or from long ago
- C – You have smart ideas before others
- B – You’re starting over
- C – You finished before time ran out
- B – It happens rarely
- C – They can’t stop thinking about old times
- B – Something happened very fast
- A – To stop time during a moment
- C – A time long ago
Wrapping Up
Idioms about time travel help us talk about the past, present, and future in fun ways. They don’t mean exactly what they say, but they help us understand time better. Some idioms make us laugh, and others make us think.
When you hear phrases like “time flies” or “blast from the past,” now you’ll know what they mean. Keep listening for these sayings in books, shows, and even from grown-ups. It’s a cool way to learn and speak better.
