Time & Scheduling

Phrasal verbs for managing time

Introduction

Time management is a constant struggle, and our language reflects this. We "put off" tasks we don't want to do, "run out" of time for things we do, and always try to "catch up" on what we've fallen behind on.

This chapter explores phrasal verbs related to time: scheduling, delays, deadlines, and the eternal human struggle against the clock.

Themes

All Phrasal Verbs in This Chapter (62)

• run out of To have no more of something
• hold up To delay or cause a delay
• catch up To reach the same level or meet with someone
• bring forward To reschedule to an earlier time
• drag on To continue for too long
• hurry up To do something faster
• run late To be behind schedule
• keep up To maintain the same pace or level
• go ahead To proceed; permission to start
• carry on To continue doing something
• press on To continue despite difficulties
• draw out To make something last longer than necessary
• fit in To find time for something; to belong socially
• get around to To finally find time to do something
• push back To delay to a later time; to resist
• while away To pass time in a leisurely way
• hold on To wait; to grip tightly
• set aside To reserve time for something
• string out To make something last longer than necessary
• drag out To make something last too long
• run on To continue longer than expected
• hold off To delay doing something
• put back To reschedule to a later time
• move up To reschedule to an earlier time
• run over To continue past the allotted time
• get behind To fall behind or support
• spin out To extend unnecessarily
• stretch out To extend in time or space
• wait up To stay awake waiting or to slow down
• wait around To stay in a place waiting
• stick around To stay in a place
• go by To elapse or pass
• fly by To pass very quickly
• slip by To pass unnoticed
• tick by To pass slowly (time)
• tick away To pass steadily (time)
• fritter away To waste time or money on trivial things
• idle away To spend time doing nothing
• kill time To do something to pass time
• run short To begin to have insufficient supply
• run low To have less than needed
• squeeze in To fit into a tight schedule
• slot in To fit into an available space or time
• get on with To continue doing or have a good relationship
• count down To count backwards to zero
• lead up to To precede and prepare for
• build up to To gradually prepare for something
• work up to To prepare gradually for something difficult
• gear up To prepare for something
• ramp up To increase or intensify
• scale back To reduce the scope or size
• draw near To approach in time
• close in To approach or surround
• creep up To approach gradually without notice
• sneak up To approach quietly without being noticed
• come around To recur or happen again
• roll around To arrive (of regular time)
• crop up To appear unexpectedly
• turn up To arrive or be found
• show up To arrive or appear
• draw to a close To be about to end
• whittle away To gradually reduce or spend time