one's days are numbered

phrase

Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.

“If his performance does not improve very soon, his days at this company are numbered.”

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

phrase
  1. idiomaticSome period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.

    If his performance does not improve very soon, his days at this company are numbered.

    1 more example

    The days of steam on the railways of Kent are now indeed numbered, and when stage two of the electrification is completed through Tonbridge to Ashford, Folkestone and Dover a long and honourable chapter in transport will be virtually closed.

    1959 October 28, O. S. Nock, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, pages 705, 724

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 來日無多 /来日无多
  • 來日無多 /来日无多 (lái rì wú duō)some period of time is coming to an end
Finnish päivät ovat luetut
  • päivät ovat luetutsome period of time is coming to an end
French ses jours sont comptés
  • ses jours sont comptéssome period of time is coming to an end
German seine Tage sind gezählt, ihre Tage sind gezählt
  • seine Tage sind gezähltsome period of time is coming to an end
  • ihre Tage sind gezähltsome period of time is coming to an end
Hebrew ימיו ספורים
  • ימיו ספורים (yamáv s'furím)some period of time is coming to an end
Hungarian meg vannak számlálva a napjai
  • meg vannak számlálva a napjaisome period of time is coming to an end
Icelandic dagar hans eru taldir, dagar hennar eru taldir
  • dagar hans eru taldirsome period of time is coming to an end
  • dagar hennar eru taldirsome period of time is coming to an end
  • dagar þess eru taldirsome period of time is coming to an end
  • dagar þeirra eru taldirsome period of time is coming to an end
Italian avere il tempo contato
  • avere il tempo contatosome period of time is coming to an end
Japanese 余命いくばくもない
  • 余命いくばくもない (yomei ikubaku mo nai)some period of time is coming to an end
Polish czyjeś dni są policzone
  • czyjeś dni są policzonesome period of time is coming to an end
Portuguese (estar) com os dias contados
  • (estar) com os dias contadossome period of time is coming to an end
Russian его́ дни сочтены́, её дни сочтены́
  • его́ дни сочтены́ (jevó dni sočtený)some period of time is coming to an end
  • её дни сочтены́ (jejó dni sočtený)some period of time is coming to an end
  • их дни сочтены́ (ix dni sočtený)some period of time is coming to an end
Spanish tener los días contados, quedarle dos telediarios
  • tener los días contadossome period of time is coming to an end
  • quedarle dos telediariossome period of time is coming to an end
Tagalog bilang na ang mga araw
  • bilang na ang mga arawsome period of time is coming to an end
Cite this entry
APA

one's days are numbered. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/one's%20days%20are%20numbered

MLA

“one's days are numbered.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/one's%20days%20are%20numbered. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “one's days are numbered,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/one's%20days%20are%20numbered.

Source: one's days are numbered on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.