время не ждет

• ВРЕМЯ <ДЕЛО> НЕ ТЕРПИТ <НЕ ЖДЕТ>

[VPsubj; pres only (variants with терпит); fixed WO]

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⇒ (used in refer, to some urgent matter that should be handled without delay) s.o. should not procrastinate, s.o. must act immediately:

- (there is) no time to lose <to waste>;

- time is running out;

- time is (running) short;

- it can't <won't> wait;

- the matter is of the utmost urgency;

- [in limited contexts] time waits <time and tide wait> for no man.

     ♦ [Дононов:] Когда официально будем оформляться? [Павел Михайлович:] Время не терпит, хоть сегодня (Погодин 1). [D.:] When will we officially fill out the papers? [P.M.:] No time to lose; today if possible (1a).

     ♦ "Дело не ждет и... необходимо приступить к нему немедленно" (Салтыков-Щедрин 2). "...The matter is of the utmost urgency and...we must set to work immediately" (2a).

     ♦ Описывать свои злоключения в ремстрой-конторе не буду, они знакомы каждому... "Ждите", - говорят. Ждать-то нам не впервой, но время, как говорится, не ждет (Войнович 3). I shall not describe my misadventures at the maintenance and construction department, everyone knows what that's like. ..."Wait," they said. Well, it wouldn't be the first time we waited, but time, as they say, waits for no man (3a).