call it a day, to

call it a day

To stop working, either at one's job or on a particular task, for the rest of the day. When we still couldn't find the source of the discrepancy, we decided to call it a day and revisit it tomorrow. This package is the last one. Once we get this shipped, we can call it a day.

See also: call

call it a day

to quit work and go home; to say that a day's work has been completed. I'm tired. Let's call it a day. The boss was mad because Tom called it a day at noon and went home.

See also: call

call it a day

Stop a particular activity for the rest of the day, as in It's past five o'clock so let's call it a day. Similarly, call it a night means "to stop something for the rest of the night," as in One more hand of bridge and then let's call it a night. The original phrase was call it half a day, first recorded in 1838, which referred to leaving one's place of employment before the work day was over. The first recorded use of call it a day was in 1919, and of call it a night in 1938. Also see call it quits.

See also: call

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

call it a day

COMMON

1. If you call it a day, you decide to stop doing something you have been doing that day. I searched for hours but I had to call it a day when darkness fell. Note: In the evening, people sometimes say that they are going to call it a night. Tomorrow is going to be busy, so let's call it a night.

2. If someone calls it a day, they retire from their job. It's no secret I want his job when he calls it a day. He's finally decided to call it a day and retire as manager.

See also: call

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

call it a day

decide or agree to stop doing something, either temporarily or permanently.

This expression comes from the idea of having done a day's work; in the mid 19th century, the form was call it half a day .

See also: call

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

call it a ˈday

(informal) decide to stop doing something, especially something you have been doing for a long time: We’d painted half the room and were feeling a bit tired so we decided to call it a day.

See also: call

call it a day

Informal

To stop what one has been doing, for the remainder of the day or at least for the present.

See also: call

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

call it a day, to

To stop work for the time being. The phrase implies that a full day’s work has been done, whether or not the clock so indicates. Indeed, J. C. Neal in Charcoal Sketches (1838) spelled this out: “I’ve a great mind to knock off and call it half a day.”