That ship has sailed
2018.01.25
Meaning:
‘That ship has sailed’ means ‘That opportunity is gone’ or ‘You lost that chance’. The ship is the symbol of an opportunity. It means that opportunities come sometimes, but they don’t stay forever. If we don’t get on a ship at the right time, the ship will leave without us. In the same way, if we don’t take an opportunity (for a new job, an adventure, a new friend etc) at the right time, that opportunity will go away. We can also say, ‘You missed the boat’ to mean the same thing.
Example:
A: I was thinking I should call Linda… you know, that girl you introduced me to…
B: That ship has sailed, John. She’s dating Simon now. You met her 3 months ago. You should have called earlier.
Talking Point(s):
Do you regret any missed opportunities? Do you think ‘that ship has sailed’ about any of those opportunities?
大人からの英会話getgo 西船橋・荻窪・津田沼・本八幡