Take ages to complete ⏳🐢🏁

Meaning

To take a very long time to finish something.

Origin

The phrase 'take ages' likely emerged from a combination of the ancient word 'age' signifying a long period of time and the common verb 'take,' implying duration or consumption of time. Think about the sheer scale of historical epochs, geological ages, or even a generation—these are vast stretches of time. When we say something 'takes ages,' we're hyperbolically equating the time something requires with these immense spans. It’s a vivid way to express extreme slowness or delay, painting a picture of a task that feels as endless as the passage of centuries.

⏳🕰️ time 💪📈 work

Take ages to complete represented with emoji⏳🐢🏁

This playful arrangement of time, slowness, and arrival, ⏳🐢🏁, not just the literal but the feeling of a task that seems to stretch endlessly into the future, finally reaching its conclusion. It functions as a whimsical reminder that even the longest journeys eventually cross the finish line, inviting a dialogue on patience and the sweet relief of completion.

Examples

  • It will take ages to complete this jigsaw puzzle with all those tiny pieces.
  • Learning a new language can take ages to become fluent.
  • The snail decided to paint a mural, which was expected to take ages to complete.
  • The wizard's potion was so complex that it would take ages to complete, with every ingredient needing to be precisely measured.

Frequently asked questions

Is 'take ages to complete' a formal or informal idiom?

'Take ages to complete' is an informal idiom. It's commonly used in everyday conversation and writing to emphasize that something is taking a very long time, but would generally be avoided in highly formal contexts.

What's the opposite of 'take ages to complete'?

The opposite of 'take ages to complete' is an idiom like 'happen in a flash' or 'be done in no time'. These phrases suggest something is finished very quickly.

Can 'take ages to complete' be used humorously?

Yes, 'take ages to complete' is often used humorously to exaggerate the time a task is taking. For instance, describing a simple chore like making toast as taking 'ages' would be a lighthearted exaggeration.

Does 'take ages to complete' imply actual centuries are passing?

No, 'take ages to complete' is a hyperbole and does not mean literal centuries are passing. It's a figure of speech used to express that something feels like it is taking an excessively long time, even if the actual duration is much shorter.

Similar to "take ages to complete"

Drag one's feet
Both phrases describe deliberate slowness, but 'drag one's feet' implies a wilful resistance to getting started or moving forward, a kind of passive sabotage, whereas 'take ages' is more about the duration itself, regardless of intent
Take an eternity
This uses hyperbole to amplify the sense of extreme duration, much like 'take ages', but 'eternity' conjures a more cosmic, almost biblical sense of endlessness, pushing beyond the everyday grumbling of 'ages'
It's a marathon, not a sprint
While 'take ages' focuses on the unwelcome length of a task, this phrase reframes extended duration as a necessary, strategic approach to a demanding endeavor, suggesting endurance rather than just delay

Opposite of "take ages to complete"

In the blink of an eye
This argues for breathtaking speed and efficiency, directly countering the drawn-out nature of 'take ages' by emphasizing how quickly something can truly be done
Wrap it up in no time
This phrase champions swift completion and suggests that what might take ages for some is achieved with effortless speed by others, framing prolonged tasks as potentially a failure of skill or effort
Get it done yesterday
This expresses an aggressive impatience with necessary timescales, urging for completion before it's even realistically due, standing in stark contrast to the resigned acceptance of prolonged effort in 'take ages'

Related to "take ages to complete"

Glacial pace
This shares the core idea of extreme slowness with 'take ages', but employs a vivid natural metaphor to paint a picture of movement that is almost imperceptibly slow, like the relentless creep of a glacier
Snail's pace
Here's another fellow traveler in the land of the slow, 'snail's pace' brings the humble mollusk to mind, evoking a tangible, creaturely slowness that makes the drag of 'take ages' feel acutely, uncomfortably present
Watching paint dry
This captures the profound boredom and tedium that often accompanies tasks that 'take ages', focusing on the experiential suffering of waiting rather than just the duration itself
A labor of love
Sometimes tasks take ages not because they are inherently slow or tedious, but because the dedication required means they must unfold gradually, imbued with passion rather than just time