Idioms with Structure

A Tower of Strength – a person or thing that provides support and stability in difficult times
A Towering Inferno – a huge and intense fire
A cornerstone of something – a fundamental and essential element of something
A house divided against itself cannot stand – a situation in which there is conflict or division within a group will not be successful
A house of cards – something that is fragile and unstable, likely to collapse easily
A stone’s throw away – very close or nearby
A tall order – a challenging or difficult task
Brick wall – an obstacle that cannot be overcome
Build castles in the air – have unrealistic or fanciful plans or ideas
Build from the ground up – to construct something from its earliest stages
Hit the roof – to become very angry
Level playing field – a situation in which all participants have equal opportunities
On solid ground – in a secure or stable position
Roof over one’s head – having a place to live
The walls have ears – people are listening to what is being said and it is not private.
To lay the foundation – to establish the basic principles of something
Under one roof – in the same place or location
Up in the air – uncertain, not yet decided

Idioms with Time

A matter of time – something that is sure to happen eventually
Against the clock – working against a tight deadline
Ahead of time: Early or before the expected or scheduled time
At the eleventh hour – just before a deadline / at the last minute
Beat the clock – Finish a task before the deadline.
Before time runs out – before it is too late
Behind schedule – running late or behind the planned timeline
Burning the candle at both ends – working too hard and sacrificing sleep or rest
Buy time – to gain additional time to delay or avoid making a decision
Carpe diem – seize the day, make the most of the present moment
Counting the minutes – waiting impatiently for something to happen
Down to the wire – until the last minute
Early bird catches the worm – being punctual brings rewards
In the nick of time – Just in time or at the last moment
Killing time – finding ways to occupy oneself while waiting
Make hay while the sun shines – take advantage of a good opportunity while it lasts
Make time – to allocate or find time for something
Make up for lost time: To compensate for time lost or wasted.
No time like the present – take action now, don’t delay
On borrowed time – living or existing in a precarious situation
On time – punctual, arriving or happening exactly when planned
Once in a blue moon – a rare occurrence
Time and tide wait for no man – time moves forward regardless of individual circumstances
Time flies – time passes quickly
Time is money – every moment is valuable and should be used effectively
Time is of the essence – time is a critical factor in a situation
Time on one’s hands – having free time with nothing to do
Time will tell – only time can reveal the outcome of a situation
Waiting in the wings – being ready and available to take action when necessary
Wasting time – spending time in an unproductive or inefficient way