kill time

Are you using the idiom kill time but not sure about its meaning? Using idioms, which are important elements of spoken and written language, in the right place strengthens your language skills. Examine the meaning of the kill time idiom and the situations in which it is used.

Meaning of "kill time"

Meaning

This idiom is used to describe passing time, usually in a way that is not particularly productive. To “kill time” is to occupy oneself with activities that do not lead to any significant progress or outcome.

Etymology

This idiom is believed to have originated sometime in the 15th century, when knights would prepare for battle by killing animals for sport. “Killing time” in this sense would then refer to passing the time until the actual battle occurred. It has since become a widely used phrase to describe occupying oneself with meaningless activities.

Usage

The phrase is widely used as a verb phrase, but it can also be used as a noun phrase. Most commonly, it is used to refer to time-filling activities that are not particularly meaningful or productive, but it can also refer to activities done to pass the time in a pleasant way. Additionally, “killing time” has come to refer to a form of procrastination; often the activities that one does to pass the time are less important than more meaningful tasks that one should be doing.

Example Sentences

• I'm going to the movies to kill some time before my flight.
• After the meeting got canceled, we had to kill time with some casual conversation.
• I was just killing time when I stumbled across the best-selling book I had been looking for.
• I spent the afternoon killing time instead of studying for my upcoming exam.

Idioms have a common language

"The early bird catches the worm" is an English idiom that means that those who wake up early and start their day early are more likely to succeed. A similar idiom in Spanish is "El que madruga, Dios le ayuda," which translates to "God helps those who rise early." This idiom emphasizes the importance of starting the day early in order to achieve success.