Time flew by like a bird.

Meaning: She was so focused on the book that she didn't notice how much time was passing.

Choice of Words: Time is the period during which an action, process, or event takes place. Fly is to move through the air using wings. Bird is a warm-blooded vertebrate animal that has feathers and lays eggs. The sentence suggests that the person was so engrossed in the book that they lost track of time.

Alternative Expressions

The clock ticked away like a heartbeat.

Meaning: This means that the clock was making a ticking sound that was similar to the sound of a heartbeat, suggesting the passage of time.

Choice of Words: Clock refers to a device that measures time, usually with a face and moving hands. Ticked away describes the sound made by the clock as it measures time. Like a heartbeat is a simile, comparing the rhythm of the clock's ticking to the regular beat of a human heart.

The days raced past like cars on a highway.

Meaning: This means that the days were passing very quickly, similar to how cars move swiftly along a highway.

Choice of Words: Days refer to units of time, typically 24 hours. Raced past is a verb phrase that implies something moved quickly. Like cars on a highway is a simile, comparing the speed at which the days passed to the movement of cars on a busy road.

Related Expressions