Definition of tempus fugit in English:
tempus fugit
exclamationˌtɛmpəs ˈfuːɡɪtˌtɛmpəs ˈfjuːdʒɪtˌtempəs ˈfyo͞ojit
Time flies (used to draw attention to the rapid passage of time)
Tempus fugit! It seems no time since we were cursing the long, dark winter evenings—now here we are in flaming June
Example sentencesExamples
- When you are about to have a baby, anyone who has faced parenthood before you will tell you one truth among all the horror stories and old wives tales: tempus fugit.
- I know it's coming up to Christmas and you are all busy but tempus fugit and all that. Before you realise it will be June again.
- Tempus fugit. Only 222 days to Christmas.
- 1964 doesn't sound like a half century ago, but tempus fugit, as Pliny the Elder might have said if he'd made it out of the first century.
- The little digital clock that pops into view periodically in "24" may be aimed at keeping narrative tension high, but it also serves as an unsubtle reminder that tempus fugit.
- I remember going to her 18th birthday, and next month she hits 50 - tempus fugit!
Origin
Late 18th century: Latin, from tempus 'time' + fugere 'flee, fly', after fugit inreparabile tempus 'irretrievable time is flying' (Virgil, Georgics 3.284).
Definition of tempus fugit in US English:
tempus fugit
exclamationˌtempəs ˈfyo͞ojit
Time flies (used to draw attention to the rapid passage of time)
Tempus fugit! It seems no time since we were cursing the long, dark winter evenings—now here we are in flaming June
Example sentencesExamples
- Tempus fugit. Only 222 days to Christmas.
- 1964 doesn't sound like a half century ago, but tempus fugit, as Pliny the Elder might have said if he'd made it out of the first century.
- When you are about to have a baby, anyone who has faced parenthood before you will tell you one truth among all the horror stories and old wives tales: tempus fugit.
- The little digital clock that pops into view periodically in "24" may be aimed at keeping narrative tension high, but it also serves as an unsubtle reminder that tempus fugit.
- I know it's coming up to Christmas and you are all busy but tempus fugit and all that. Before you realise it will be June again.
- I remember going to her 18th birthday, and next month she hits 50 - tempus fugit!
Origin
Late 18th century: Latin, from tempus ‘time’ + fugere ‘flee, fly’, after fugit inreparabile tempus ‘irretrievable time is flying’ (Virgil, Georgics 3.284).