- Meaning
- This idiom means to stop working or end an activity, often for the day, deciding that enough has been done, as if formally concluding a day’s efforts. It conveys completion or rest, typically used in professional, personal, or recreational contexts to signal a break. The phrase carries a tone of satisfaction, fatigue, or practicality, reflecting cultural values of balance and the human tendency to set limits. Its imagery of a day’s closure evokes a natural pause, resonating in scenarios like work or projects. The idiom promotes rest, making it a practical metaphor for wrapping up.
- Origin
- The phrase likely originated in 19th-century Britain, tied to labor practices where workers stopped at day’s end, as noted in factory logs. Its earliest recorded use appears in *The Times* (1830s), describing a parliamentary session ending. The idiom gained traction in the early 20th century, amplified by industrial culture and literature, notably in John Galsworthy’s *The Forsyte Saga* (1920). Its spread was boosted by workplace slang and media, especially in the U.S. and U.K., for its clear imagery and relevance to daily routines.
- Variants
-
- Call it a day
- Called it a day
- Call it quits for the day
- Examples
-
- After hours of painting, they decided to call it a day.
- Called it a day, she shut her laptop and relaxed.
- Let’s call it quits for the day; we’ve done enough.
- Call it a day, he said, exhausted from the long meeting.
- They called it a day after finishing the first draft.
|