C1idiomtimeIELTS-friendly
on borrowed time
USUK
likely to end, fail or die soon
Often 'living on borrowed time' or 'be on borrowed time'. Used for people, jobs, businesses and old machines.
In context
With sales falling every month, the old cinema is living on borrowed time.
Many say the manager is on borrowed time after five defeats in a row.
More idioms about time
- a blast from the pastsomething or someone that suddenly reminds you of an earlier time
- a long time comingif something is a long time coming, people have waited a long time for it
- a matter of timecertain to happen, although you do not know exactly when
- a race against timea situation where you must hurry to finish before time runs out
- a sign of the timessomething that shows how society is now, often in a bad way