not before time

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(and) not before time!

An expression used to emphasize that something should have occurred a long time ago. They're finally hiring some extra help around here, and not before time—another one of my employees resigned today. A: "Dinner's ready!" B: "Not before time. I'm starving."

not before time

used to convey that something now happening or about to happen should have happened earlier.

See also: before, not, time

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not be above
not be above doing something
not be all beer and skittles
not be all there
not be cut out for something
not be fussed
not be getting any younger
not be having any of it
not be in the business of doing something
not be in the same league/class/street
not be long for this world
not be lost on (someone)
not be made of money
not be much of a something
not be much to look at
not be somebody's cup of tea
not be somebody's day
not be someone's bag
not be the end of the world
not be the only pebble on the beach
not be the word for it
not be whistling Dixie
not be your cup of tea
not bear the sight of (someone or something)
not beat around the bush
not before time
not believe (one's) ears
not believe (one's) eyes
not believe a word of it
not believe ears
not believe eyes
not believe your eyes/ears
not born yesterday
not break the bank
not breathe a word
not budge/give/move an inch
not built that way
not buy
not by a long chalk
not by a long shot
not by any means
not by any stretch of the imagination
not care (a) tuppence
not care a hang
not care a hang (about something)
not care a hoot
not care two hoots about
not care two pins (about something)
not care two straws
not care twopence
not care/give a damn
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not be worth a plug nickel
not be your cup of tea
not bear the sight of
not bear the sight of (someone or something)
not bear the sight of her
not bear the sight of him
not bear the sight of me
not bear the sight of somebody
not bear the sight of someone
not bear the sight of something
not bear the sight of them
not bear the sight of us
not bear the sight of you
Not Bearing Interest
not beat about the bush
not beat around the bush
not been getting a wink of sleep
not been herself
not been himself
not been lost on her
not been lost on him
not been lost on them
not been lost on us
not been lost on you
not been myself
not been ourselves
not been sleeping a wink
not been themselves
not been yourself
Not Before Midnight
not before time
not before time!
not believe
not believe (one's) ears
not believe (one's) eyes
not believe a word of it
not believe ears
not believe eyes
not believe her eyes
not believe his eyes
not believe my eyes
not believe one's eyes
not believe our eyes
not believe their eyes
not believe your ears
not believe your eyes
not believe your eyes/ears
not belonging
Not Below or Equal
not biased
not binding
not blamable
Not Bloody Likely
Not Blue Shoot It
not born yesterday
not bother with
not break the bank
not breathe a word
not breathe a word of it
not budge
not budge an inch
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