call it a day
Meaning
To stop working on something for now because you’re finished or it’s time to quit for the day.
Origin
Recorded from the 19th century; it uses “call it …” meaning “decide/declare it to be …,” i.e., declare the workday finished and stop.
Notes
Neutral to positive; implies stopping because it’s enough for now, time’s up, or progress has been made. Common in work/study contexts; informal but acceptable in most workplaces.
Examples
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We’ve made good progress, so let’s call it a day and pick this up tomorrow.
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After three hours of meetings, I decided to call it a day and head home.
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If the code still won’t compile by 6, we’ll call it a day and try again in the morning.
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My legs were sore after the hike, so we called it a day and turned back.
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The shop was quiet all afternoon, so the manager told everyone to call it a day early.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Fixed phrase: “call it a day.” Often used as imperative (“Let’s call it a day”) or after a subject (“We’ll call it a day”). Can inflect “call/called/calling.” Less common variants: “call it a night.”
Synonyms
- wrap it up
- pack it in
- knock off
- call it quits
- stop for the day
Antonyms
- keep going
- carry on
- press on
- work overtime