make up for lost time

make up for lost time

1. To spend more time doing something that one previously neglected to do. We spent so many years apart, but at least we found each other again. I hope we can make up for lost time by visiting each other often.2. To hurry or do something more quickly or more frequently in order to compensate for a delay in progress. We may be able to make up for lost time by taking a few back routes and avoiding traffic. We got sidetracked with the lunch party, but hopefully we can make up for lost time by getting everyone to pitch in with loading the trucks.See also: lost, make, time, up

make up for lost time

to catch up; to go fast to balance a period of going slow or not moving. We drove as fast as we could, trying to make up for lost time. Hurry. We have to make up for lost time.See also: lost, make, time, up

make up for lost time

Also, make up ground. Hurry to compensate for wasted time, as in They married late but hoped to make up for lost time, or We're behind in the schedule, and we'll just have to make up ground as best we can. The first term was first recorded in 1774; the variant dates from the late 1800s. See also: lost, make, time, up

make up for lost time

COMMON1. If you make up for lost time, you enthusiastically do something that you were not able to do in the past. Five years older than the majority of officers of his same rank, he was determined to make up for lost time. Sitting round Holly's table, they made up for lost time, talking well into the night.2. If you make up for lost time, you do something more quickly or more often because something stopped you doing it at an earlier time and you need to make progress with it. The country almost comes to a standstill during the cold of winter and has to make up for lost time during the warmer weather.See also: lost, make, time, up

make up for lost time

do something faster or more often in order to compensate for not having done it quickly or often enough before.See also: lost, make, time, up

make up for lost ˈtime

do something quickly or very often because you wish you had started doing it sooner: The building work is now behind schedule, but contractors are confident that they can make up for lost time.See also: lost, make, time, up