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Greek Calends

What Does "Greek Calends" Mean?

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"Greek calends" is an English idiom. It is a humorous expression referring to a date or time period that is indefinitely postponed or nonexistent, often used to imply that something will never happen.

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "greek calends" used in a sentence:
  • They promised to repay the loan, but it seems like it will be paid back on the Greek calends.
  • Waiting for him to apologize is like waiting for the Greek calends; it's never going to happen.
  • The construction of the new bridge has been delayed to the Greek calends due to budget issues.
meaning for greek calends

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Greek Calends" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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