Call it a day

Posted by Lewis on April 28, 2005

In Reply to: Call it a day posted by Mark on April 28, 2005

: Does "call it a day" have something to do with the very first part of the Bible? If not, where did this idiom come from?

It probably comes from any task where people were employed to work by the day: to do "a day's work".

To "call it "a day"' suggests that the speaker agrees that the work is over - which might have been before the expiry of the usual working hours, say because it was a concluded task. I am on a daily rate and if the person that pays me said at 2.30 - "Let's call it a day" then that would be permission to leave early without wondering if some rebate should be given for not working a full day.

it has come to be used as meaning that a task is concluded for the time being.

I doubt that some biblical scholar would take the view that after 24 hours creating, God said "Let's call it "a day"!"

L