Call it a day

Posted by Smokey Stover on January 13, 2006

In Reply to: Call it a day posted by Jon Denver on January 12, 2006

: Where did the idiom "call it a day" originate?

Type the phrase into the box at the top of the preceding page. But I don't think I could agree that it's an idiom, even if it is a popular phrase. "Let's call it a day" is very straightforward in language and sense. At some time during a day of work, someone suggests that we "call it day," that is, decide the work-day is finished and it's time to go home. It has been pointed out that it is often said before normal working hours are over. However, it is also said when volunteers, or just friends, are working on a job with no set time frame, and just decide when it's time to quit by saying, "Let's call it a day." Perhaps it has become dark, perhaps it has started to rain, perhaps everyone is tired and worn out. It doesn't have to have anything to do with working a short day. SS