# time is money

idiom · CEFR A2

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/time-is-money
Updated: 2026-06-07

## Meaning

Work quickly

## Examples

- Please hurry up because time is money.
- The manager told the staff to stop chatting and get back to work because time is money.
- In this fast-paced industry, every delay costs us a client, and we must remember that time is money.

## Origin

Coined in this form by Benjamin Franklin in 'Advice to a Young Tradesman' (1748); the sentiment goes back to the Greek orator Antiphon.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.