[call] it a day
1
to stop working or participating in an activity, usually at the end of the day or when one feels that they have done enough
The idiom "call it a day" has its origins in the world of work and labor. It can be traced back to the idea of ending a workday or a shift when it is deemed appropriate or sufficient. The expression suggests that a decision has been made to cease work for the day, often based on factors like completing the necessary tasks, reaching a reasonable point of progress, or acknowledging that further efforts may not yield significant results. Over time, the expression has been adopted into broader contexts beyond work and is used when deciding to stop or conclude any activity.
- After hours of painting the house, they decided to call it a day and finish the job tomorrow.
- After a long day of yard work, they called it a day and decided to relax in the evening.
- The hikers had covered a significant distance on the trail but called it a day when they realized they wouldn't reach the summit before nightfall.
- The team will call it a day when they complete the final testing phase of the software project.
- he writers had been brainstorming ideas for hours, but they couldn't make any breakthroughs, so they decided to call it a day and resume their work the following morning.
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