IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishthat ship has sailed
Meaning: It is too late; the opportunity has passed.
Example: “I thought about asking for my old job back, but that ship has sailed.”
Origin: A sailing ship left port when tide and wind allowed, and once it was gone, there was no catching it. The figurative sense of a missed chance is modern, and no first use has been pinned down.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Les carottes sont cuites Literally: The carrots are cooked
Persian: آب از سرش گذشته (âb az sarash gozashte) Literally: The water has passed over his head
More English idioms
- be a pain in the neck To be very annoying.
- have one's cake and eat it too To want two things that cannot both be had.
- muddy the waters To make a situation confusing, often on purpose.
- be bone idle To be extremely lazy.
- like pulling teeth Extremely difficult, especially when trying to get someone to cooperate.
- have the wind in one's sails To be doing well and moving forward with confidence and momentum.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
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