patience

*out of patience

annoyed and impatient after being patient for a while. (*Typically: be ~; run ~.) I finally ran out of patience and lost my temper. The boss is finally out of patience with me.

See also: out

have the patience of a saint and have the patience of Job

Fig. to have a great deal of patience. Steve has the patience of Job given the way his wife nags him. Dear Martha has the patience of a saint; she raised six children by herself.

See also: have, saint

lose patience (with someone or something)

to stop being patient with someone or something; to become impatient with someone or something. Please try to be more cooperative. I'm losing patience with you.

See also: lose

Patience is a virtue.

Prov. It is good to be patient. Jill: I wish Mary would hurry up and call me back! Jane: Patience is a virtue. Fred: The doctor has kept us waiting for half an hour! If he doesn't call us into his office pretty soon, I may do something violent. Ellen: Calm down, dear. Patience is a virtue.

See also: virtue

try someone's patience

to strain someone's patience; to bother someone as if testing the person's patience. (Try means test here.) My loud neighbors are trying my patience today. You really try my patience with all your questions!

See also: try

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the patience of Job/a saint

a lot of patience

Usage notes: Job was a character in the bible who still trusted God even though a lot of bad things happened to him.

You need the patience of a saint to be a teacher.

See also: job, saint

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try the patience of somebody also try somebody's patience

to cause someone to become extremely annoyed The judge told the lawyer that he was trying the patience of the court with his delaying tactics.

See also: try