let slip away

let slip away

1. To allow a period of time to pass or be spent idly or without notice. A noun or pronoun is used between "slip" and "away." I don't want to let the whole summer slip away without going anywhere nice for a vacation. Sorry, I got distracted playing my game and ended up letting the afternoon slip away.
2. To allow someone or something that one desires leave or be taken from one, especially due to negligence or inattentiveness. A noun or pronoun is used between "slip" and "away." I let you slip away from me once before in my life, and I've never stopped regretting it. I won't let that happen again.
3. To fail to capitalize on some opportunity. A noun or pronoun is used between "slip" and "away." What are you waiting for, call them back! Don't let such an amazing chance slip away!
See also: away, let, slip
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • buy (yourself) time
  • buy time
  • angle
  • angling
  • not do (someone or oneself) any favors
  • arrange for
  • arrange for some time
  • arrange some music for
  • adopt out
  • involve with (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
The 25-year-old will need to show the same fighting spirit, physical resilience and tactical astuteness that he did against Djokovic while trying to cut out the nervous moments, such as the two match points he let slip away at 5-3 in a wild deciding set.
"I liked the way that our girls generated chances although there were a couple that we let slip away," said North Stars coach Brian Harks, whose team outshot the Vikings 11-5 in the opening half.
That's because you keep thinking about the ones that you let slip away from your grasp.
Even though we finished sixth we felt there were a few games which we let slip away and we can improve on that.
NLEX coach Yeng Guiao felt his team committed one too many mistakes down the stretch in a crucial loss to Meralco, a game the Road Warriors initially had in their fingertips but let slip away.
The final three points showed why Evans is a talent British tennis has never been prepared to let slip away despite various misdemeanours, of which the latest was by far the most serious.
But, even so, I suspect Rangers will look back upon this window a few months from now and seriously regret the one they let slip away.
On both Labour and Conservative benches there are men and women who are convinced that this is a project we must not let slip away.
Betts said: "It was a game we let slip away with a couple of mistakes and a couple of players in their team had really good games.
This is a golden opportunity that must not let slip away, and unity must be upheld ahead of U.N.
He broke Murray in the first game of the third set, the Scot twice dragging the ball into the net on the final two points to hand Djokovic an edge he was in no mood to let slip away.
Oxford led via Wes Burns' header and head coach Michael Appleton admitted: "It's a game that we let slip away. In terms of defending, we've got to be better than that.
In a major investigation, the Sunday Mirror has conducted a health check on the treasured institution our country simply cannot afford to let slip away...
That defeat to current Championship leaders Bargoed - sandwiched by wins at Blackwood and Llanharan - was a game RGC know they let slip away from them after conceding two cheap tries just after the break in a 34-30 loss.
That includes places we might not choose to go and people we've let slip away from us.