closing-time
Definition
- Noun:
- The time at which a business, especially a pub, bar, or shop, closes for the day: "closing-time" refers to the specific hour when an establishment ends its operations and customers must leave.
Usage Examples
- (The pub owner said the bar would shut soon.)
- (We rushed to complete purchases before the store shut.)
- (After the business closed, employees tidied up.)
Advanced Usage
"last orders at closing-time": the final opportunity to purchase drinks or goods before the establishment closes.
- The bartender called "last orders" at closing-time. (The final drink orders were taken just before the pub shut.)
"closing-time rush": a sudden increase in activity just before a business closes.
- There was a closing-time rush as customers made last-minute purchases. (A flurry of activity occurred before the shop shut.)
Variants and Related Words
Closing (adj): relating to the end of an event or period.
- The closing ceremony marked the end of the festival. (The final event concluded the festival.)
Time (n): the indefinite continued progress of existence.
- Time seemed to slow down as closing-time approached. (The period felt longer as the end neared.)
Synonyms
- Shutdown: the cessation of operations.
- End of business: the conclusion of the working day for a commercial establishment.
- Last call: the final announcement before a bar closes.
Related Idioms
"Time's up": an expression indicating that the allowed period has ended.
- At closing-time, the manager said, "Time's up, everyone." (The manager indicated that the business day had finished.)
"Call it a day": to stop working for the rest of the day.
- We decided to call it a day when closing-time arrived. (We stopped working when the business shut.)