mark time
The phrase "mark time" originates from military drills where soldiers march in place. It is also commonly used in everyday language to describe a period of inactivity or waiting.
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Definition
B2Military
(technical)To march in place without moving forward, often done to maintain formation during a pause.
Example
- The soldiers were ordered to mark time while waiting for the command to move forward.
B2General
(idiomatic)To remain inactive or make no progress while waiting for something to happen.
Example
- She felt like she was marking time in her job, waiting for a better opportunity.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "mark time":
mark outmark downmark offmark upend markmark to modelcheck markmating markmake one's markscent markfull markshash markmark to marketlong-vowel markmark of the beastskid mark