idiom
live on borrowed time
LIV on BOR-ohd TYM
lɪv ɒn ˈbɒroʊd taɪmListen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
liveonborrowedtime
Dictionary meaning
To continue to survive or exist longer than expected; to be in a situation where one's end is approaching but has not yet come.
Examples
- The old coal-fired power station was living on borrowed time — the new regulations would shut it down by 2025.
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