sands

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | 239 words | Copyright

sands the sands (of time) are running out the allotted time is nearly at an end; the expression, recorded from the mid 16th century, refers to the sand in an hourglass running from one chamber to the other.

See also plough the sands, sand.

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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "sands." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "sands." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-sands.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "sands." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-sands.html

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