lose time

1. Waste time, delay, as in We wanted to paint the entire porch today, but we lost time trying to find a color that matched the house . This expression is sometimes put negatively as lose no time , meaning “act immediately” or “not delay,” as in We must lose no time in getting him to the hospital . [Late 1500s] Also see make up for lost time .

2. Operate too slowly. For example, My watch loses time , or This clock loses five minutes a day . This usage is always applied to a timepiece. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

“We can yell if we need help. We gotta see which tunnel is the best one to go in, and we’d lose time checking each one out together. We’ve gotta split up.”

From Literature

Ferrari warned Leclerc "not to lose time" fighting Sainz for third and that his fight was with Norris behind, knowing that the extra grip from the fresher tyres would leave him helpless.

From BBC

The office is not as convenient as working from home, it takes too much time to get to the office, parents lose time with their children, offices are loud and finding reliable, affordable childcare is a challenge.

From Seattle Times

“The patchwork of jurisdictions makes it so hard to get started on these investigations. And when you lose time, your chances of solving these cases goes down,” said Assistant Secretary of Interior Bryan Newland.

From Seattle Times

"These workers, who are overwhelmingly Black workers, immigrant workers, and women, literally can't afford to take breaks or lose time to take care of their health," she explained.

From Salon