it's about time

(it's) (a)bout time

An expression used to emphasize that something should have occurred a long time ago. Well, about time you got here—I've been waiting for over an hour! It's about time that high schools taught their students about basic banking and finance. A: "Tom finally moved out of his parents' house." B: "Bout time! He's 40 years old."
See also: time
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

it's about time

Also, it's high time. See about time; high time.
See also: time
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

it’s ˌhigh/aˌbout ˈtime (that)...

(spoken) used for saying that something should be done or happen immediately or very soon: It’s high time that this room was properly cleaned! So you’ve started work! It’s about time! (= you should have started a long time ago).
See also: high
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • (it's) (a)bout time
  • about time
  • about time too
  • any time
  • anytime
  • any time means no time
  • any old time
  • at all hours
  • at all hours (of the day and night)
  • (it's) time to run
References in periodicals archive
It is all very well Ms Davidson pontificating from her office but it's about time she listened and looked at our (and others') concerns and sorted out the planning system in Carmarthenshire.
It's About Time: Time Saving Tips for Every Day--Home or Away is a no-nonsense guide to time management, especially recommended for homemakers, college students, parents, and anyone else desperately pressed for time.
It's about time the management found out where their vehicles are.
Wal-Mart officials also expect the low prices to bring shoppers to Wal-Mart stores, and they think it's about time that someone tries free enterprise in the healthcare market.
Nurse Edgar Timoteo Aguilar had been working at the Princess of Wales Hospital, in Bridgend, when he allegedly put a pillow over a patient's face, saying: 'It's about time she went anyway', a nurses disciplinary hearing heard yesterday.
Just read your editorial in the July issue, and I agree it's about time the rubber industry got its act together at the NPE show.
It's about time we are treated with the same respect and dignity.
"It's about time," said the recently retired bishop of Assisi, Sergio Goretti.
It's about time people knew that humans are not the only ones that can be gay.
"I hope that this is a signal that it's about time that a woman, and an African American woman, is part of this whole scene of sports," she says.
"It's about time," we told Ed Coburn, congratulating him for being honored as NEPA's Volunteer of the Year at the annual conference.
I think it's about time the powers-that-be set about catching the yobs at it and making them clean it off.
It's about time there was a flavorful cheese to top pizzas, burritos, nachos, and lasagna.
Loud and abrasive, in the true spirit of the Rip Off stable from which this LP comes, The Reds' It's About Time is furious and hellbent.
There's been a great deal of talk of late (and it's about time!) about the nursing shortage--how young people are seeing the terrible pressures nurses work under in this managed care era and are saying "no thank you," and how the existing nursing force is shrinking by attrition.