idiom · neutral
live on borrowed time
UK/lɪv ɒn ˈbɒrəʊd taɪm/US/lɪv ɑn ˈbɑːroʊd taɪm/LIVE·on·BOR·rowed·TIME
to continue to exist despite limited time left or despite danger
Examples
“After the serious illness, he felt like he was living on borrowed time.”
“The old factory was kept open, but many said it was living on borrowed time.”
“Without serious reform, the system may be living on borrowed time.”
Band 8 sentence
“Even after successful treatment, he felt like he was living on borrowed time and resolved to make each day count.”
Collocations
- living on borrowed time after + event
Word family
Common mistakes
live on borrowed times→live on borrowed time
live in borrowed time→live on borrowed time
Say it for a higher band
5be close to death→6have little time left→7+live on borrowed time
Synonyms
have little time left
Easily confused
on thin ice
“After his mistake at work, he knew he was on thin ice with his boss.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Time
Learn it with its set