Going on vacation is something many people look forward to. It’s a break from school, work, and daily routines. When people talk about their vacation, they often use special phrases to describe how they feel or what happened. These phrases are called idioms. Idioms don’t always mean what the words say, but they help us express feelings in a fun way.
For example, if someone says they “hit the road,” it doesn’t mean they hit something. It means they started their trip. These idioms can make your stories more interesting and easier to understand. In this article, you will learn some common idioms people use when talking about vacation. These expressions can help you talk about fun trips, relaxing times, or exciting adventures.
Idioms for Vacation
1. Hold your horses
Meaning: Wait and be patient.
Example: Hold your horses, we will start the game soon./ Hold your horses before opening your gift.
Put Differently: Wait a little longer./ Don’t rush, take your time.
2. Hang tight
Meaning: Wait for a short time.
Example: Hang tight, I will be back with your food.
Hang tight while I get my book.
Put Differently: Stay where you are and wait.
Give me a moment.
3. Sit tight
Meaning: Stay in place and wait.
Example: Sit tight until your name is called./ Sit tight while the teacher checks your work.
Put Differently: Stay still and wait./ Don’t move, just wait.
4. Bide your time
Meaning: Wait for the right moment.
Example: He bided his time before asking the question./ She is biding her time to speak.
Put Differently: Wait for the right time./ Be patient for a good moment.
5. Wait in line
Meaning: Stand in a row and wait your turn.
Example: We had to wait in line for lunch./ They waited in line for tickets.
Put Differently: Stand and wait your turn. / Be in a queue.
6. Mark time
Meaning: Wait without making progress.
Example: We were marking time until the bell rang./ He marked time during the delay.
Put Differently: Wait without moving forward./ Stay in the same place.
7. On standby
Meaning: Ready and waiting.
Example: The doctor is on standby./ We are on standby for the trip.
Put Differently: Ready and waiting./ Prepared for action.
8. In the wings
Meaning: Ready and waiting to act.
Example: She is in the wings for her turn./ The team waited in the wings.
Put Differently: Waiting to start./ Ready to go soon.
9. Kill time
Meaning: Do something while waiting.
Example: I played games to kill time./ We talked to kill time.
Put Differently: Pass the time./ Stay busy while waiting.
10. Pass the time
Meaning: Spend time while waiting.
Example: We read books to pass the time./ He watched TV to pass the time.
Put Differently: Use time while waiting./ Stay busy.
11. Wait it out
Meaning: Wait until something ends.
Example: We waited out the rain./ She waited it out during the storm.
Put Differently: Stay until it is over./ Keep waiting.
12. Time drags
Meaning: Time feels slow while waiting.
Example: Time drags during long classes./ It felt like time dragged at the airport.
Put Differently: Time feels slow./ Waiting feels long.
13. Watch the clock
Meaning: Keep checking time while waiting.
Example: I watched the clock in class./ He watched the clock at work.
Put Differently: Keep checking time./ Look at the clock often.
14. Counting the minutes
Meaning: Waiting with excitement or impatience.
Example: I was counting the minutes before recess./ She counted the minutes before the party.
Put Differently: Waiting eagerly./ Feeling excited while waiting.
15. On hold
Meaning: Waiting for something to happen.
Example: My plan is on hold./ The call is on hold.
Put Differently: Delayed for now./ Waiting to continue.
16. In due time
Meaning: It will happen at the right time.
Example: You will get your reward in due time./ Everything will be clear in due time.
Put Differently: At the right time./ Soon, but not now.
17. Wait your turn
Meaning: Wait until it is your time.
Example: Wait your turn to speak./ He waited his turn in the game.
Put Differently: Take turns./ Be patient for your turn.
18. Keep someone waiting
Meaning: Make someone wait.
Example: Don’t keep me waiting./ She kept us waiting too long.
Put Differently: Make others wait./ Delay someone.
19. Long wait
Meaning: Waiting for a long time.
Example: It was a long wait at the doctor’s office./ We had a long wait for the bus.
Put Differently: Waited a long time./ Took too long.
20. Wait and see
Meaning: Be patient and see what happens.
Example: Let’s wait and see the result./ Wait and see how it turns out.
Put Differently: Be patient and watch./ See what happens later.
21. In the meantime
Meaning: During the waiting time.
Example: In the meantime, do your homework./ We played games in the meantime.
Put Differently: While waiting./ During this time.
22. Time flies
Meaning: Time goes fast.
Example: Time flies when we play games./ Time flies during fun times.
Put Differently: Time goes quickly./ Time passes fast.
23. Drag your feet
Meaning: Delay doing something.
Example: Don’t drag your feet on homework./ He dragged his feet to start.
Put Differently: Take too long to start./ Delay action.
24. Slow going
Meaning: Progress is slow.
Example: The work is slow going./ The line is slow going.
Put Differently: Moving slowly./ Taking time.
25. At a standstill
Meaning: Not moving, waiting.
Example: Traffic was at a standstill./ The game was at a standstill.
Put Differently: Not moving./ Stopped for now.
26. Waiting game
Meaning: A situation where you must wait.
Example: Getting results is a waiting game./ The process is a waiting game.
Put Differently: You must wait./ Time will decide.
27. Hang around
Meaning: Stay and wait.
Example: I will hang around after school./ He hung around for his friend.
Put Differently: Stay nearby and wait./ Wait in one place.
28. Stick around
Meaning: Stay and wait longer.
Example: Stick around for the show./ She stuck around after class.
Put Differently: Stay longer./ Wait here.
29. Hold on
Meaning: Wait for a moment.
Example: Hold on, I’m coming./ Hold on before you leave.
Put Differently: Wait a second./ Give me a moment.
30. Just a minute
Meaning: Wait for a short time.
Example: Just a minute, please./ Wait just a minute for me.
Put Differently: Wait shortly./ Give me a little time.
31. Take your time
Meaning: Don’t rush.
Example: Take your time with the test./ You can take your time eating.
Put Differently: Don’t hurry./ Go slowly.
32. No rush
Meaning: There is no need to hurry.
Example: No rush, finish later./ There is no rush to leave.
Put Differently: No need to hurry./ Take it easy.
33. Wait for it
Meaning: Stay ready for something.
Example: Wait for it, the surprise is coming./ Wait for it, the joke is funny.
Put Differently: Get ready./ Something is coming.
34. Hold the line
Meaning: Stay on the phone and wait.
Example: Please hold the line./ She held the line for help.
Put Differently: Stay on the call./ Don’t hang up.
35. Just around the corner
Meaning: Something will happen soon.
Example: Summer is just around the corner./ The event is just around the corner.
Put Differently: Coming soon./ Almost here.
36. On the way
Meaning: Coming soon.
Example: The bus is on the way./ Food is on the way.
Put Differently: Almost arriving./ Coming soon.
37. Any minute now
Meaning: Very soon.
Example: The bell will ring any minute now./ They will arrive any minute now.
Put Differently: Very soon./ Right away.
38. Sooner or later
Meaning: It will happen after some time.
Example: You will learn it sooner or later./ He will come sooner or later.
Put Differently: It will happen in time./ Be patient.
39. Before long
Meaning: After a short wait.
Example: We will leave before long./ She will call before long.
Put Differently: Soon./ In a short time.
40. In a while
Meaning: After some time.
Example: I will come in a while./ We will eat in a while.
Put Differently: After some time./ Soon, but not right now.
“Rewrite the Sentence” Activity: Idioms for Vacation
Here are 10 simple sentences that describe situations related to vacation without using idioms. Your job is to rewrite each sentence using one of the idioms from the list.
Sentences to Rewrite
- We started our trip very early in the morning.
- Mom only packed a few clothes and snacks for the trip.
- They went to a place most people don’t visit.
- I sat on the beach and relaxed in the sun.
- My dad needed a break from work and stress.
- She always wants to go somewhere new.
- We picked a road that had pretty views.
- I was very tired after the long flight.
- We had to cancel our travel plans because of the storm.
- My brother fell asleep right after we got to the hotel.
Answer Key
- We hit the road very early in the morning.
- Mom traveled light with only a few clothes and snacks.
- They went off the beaten path for their vacation.
- I caught some rays on the beach.
- My dad needed to get away from it all.
- She has itchy feet and wants to travel all the time.
- We took the scenic route to enjoy the view.
- I had jet lag after the long flight.
- We had to take a rain check on our trip.
- My brother hit the hay right after we got to the hotel.
Conclusion
Idioms help make talking about vacations more fun and clear. Instead of saying things the usual way, we can use these phrases to show how we feel. When someone says, “Let’s hit the road,” we know they’re excited to begin their trip.
Using idioms can also help us sound more natural when we speak. They are easy to learn and use with practice. Keep trying them when you talk about your trips, and soon they’ll be part of your everyday language.
