a race against time

IPA/ɐ ɹˈeɪs ɐɡˈɛnst tˈaɪm/
IPA/ɐ ɹˈeɪs ɐɡˈɛnst tˈaɪm/

a race against time — 慣用語

1. a situation where you have only a short time to finish something important befor

1.慣用語B2
釋義

分秒必爭

時間極緊，必須立刻完成

a situation where you have only a short time to finish something important before it is too late

例句

After the flood warning, the rescue team was in a race against time.

洪水警報一發出，救援隊就陷入分秒必爭的局面。

be in a race against time during an emergency

Doctors faced a race against time to stop the infection from spreading.

醫師面臨分秒必爭的情況，得阻止感染繼續擴散。

face a race against time to + verb

同義詞
  • against the clock

    very close in meaning, often stressing the need to finish before a fixed deadline

  • under time pressure

    broader and less vivid; it can describe lower-stakes situations too

  • in a rush

    weaker and more personal; it may describe haste without real danger

反義詞

文法句型

be in a race against time

face a race against time

it is a race against time to + verb

用法筆記

Usually follows be, become, or face, and it is often followed by an infinitive or clause naming the urgent goal. It usually describes emergencies, deadlines, or rescue work where delay may cause loss, damage, or danger, not ordinary busyness.

常見錯誤

❌We were in a race against time, but we still had all week.
✅We were busy, but we still had all week.
💡a race against time means the remaining time is dangerously short.
❌I race against time to school every morning.
✅I rush to school every morning.
💡this idiom describes a pressured situation, not simply moving fast by yourself.