“Making time” is a slang term for being in prison or detention. It can also refer to any situation someone wants to escape. Other prison-related phrases include “clink”, “pokey”, and “jailbird”. “Due time” means an appropriate or necessary moment.
The phrase “making time” is an idiomatic expression used to refer to a period of detention, usually in a prison or other penal institution. For example, someone who has been convicted of a crime could be convicted. The phrase appears to have originated in the United States in the early 20th century, but the precise origins are unknown.
In most cases, someone is said to spend time in a jail or prison as punishment for a criminal act. The phrase could also be used to describe a stint in a juvenile detention facility. In some cases, it could be used to refer to any situation that occurs over a specified period and from which someone wishes to escape. For example, someone who is eagerly awaiting an impending retirement may say that they are “doing his time” or “giving his time.”
This particular saying can change times according to the reporting period. Someone who has not yet been imprisoned may be “making time”, while someone currently in prison is “making time”. Someone who has been incarcerated, but is not currently in prison, might say that he has “done some time” or be asked if he has “done some time”.
The word “time” in this expression refers to the fact that prisoners are sentenced to a specific period of time in detention. The sentence can be changed to include the actual amount of time. For example, an ex-con might say that he “spent three years in the state,” meaning that he spent three years in a state penitentiary.
Several other common slang phrases are associated with prison. Someone who is incarcerated could be said to be in the “clink”, “pokey”, “joint” or “big house”. One could say that someone who is sent to prison has been “sent up the river” or “thrown in jail”. A prisoner might be called a “jailbird” or “crook,” short for “convict.”
Other associated phrases refer to the amount of time someone has done, will do, or is doing. A person who “made a penny” was jailed for ten years. Likewise, someone who “made a nickel” was jailed for five years. “Making life” refers to someone who has been sentenced to life in prison, usually without the possibility of parole.
The phrase “make time” is not to be confused with the phrase “due time,” which actually means something very different. “Due time” refers to a moment or point in time when something becomes appropriate or necessary. For example, the resolution of a problem can be implemented “in due course”.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
