The use of idiomatic expressions in writings has had a lot of progression over the years as different changes have been given to such phrases’ meaning. It is common knowledge that a lack of understanding of a word will result in the misuse of that word. Read on, and you will find out more about the meaning of the idiomatic expression “That Ship Has Sailed.”
The idiomatic expression “That Ship Has Sailed” means an opportunity to do something or act in a certain way has been lost, and it is no longer possible for such a thing to happen. This expression is used to tell someone it is too late to do something.
This idiomatic expression “That Ship Has Sailed” might look like there is only one meaning to it, but we will make sure that a piece of extensive knowledge on this expression is provided. We will provide a detailed explanation so the use of this idiomatic expression will be easier.
What Does “That Ship Has Sailed” Mean?
The use of an idiomatic expression in a sentence can sometimes be confusing. When you do not have proper knowledge of a particular word, phrase, or sentence, your writing will be full of complications. The message you want to pass across will be confusing and hazy to the readers.
Before we explain in detail the meaning of the idiomatic expression “That ship has sailed,” we will discuss the origin of the expression. Every word, phrase, idiom, and proverb ever known has an origin.
This idiomatic expression “That Ship Has Sailed” is used to refer to an opportunity to do or achieve something that has been lost or is no longer available and might never be regained; there might be other opportunities but none like that particular one.
The idiom also means it is too late to do or say something, and the chances of another opportunity for that particular thing to happen are very slim. Going by the phrase, the literal meaning is to miss a journey by sea.
It also means it is too late to make changes to something or a specific situation, and an offer to do something or get something is gone. It can also refer to a lack of interest in something or someone, especially sexually.
The phrase “that ship has sailed” means the time you had a choice to do something has passed. It also means you can no longer take any action or decision regarding a specific activity; you have missed your chance.
It can also mean an idea you have is no longer relevant and will not be accepted because other options have emerged. It also means you are too late to do or say something you have had in mind.
The Origin Of The Phrase “That Ship Has Sailed”
Looking into the origin of a word, phrase, or idiom will give us more clarity on the word, how and when the expression is used. We will find many interesting facts about the idiomatic expression “that ship has sailed” in this section.
The idiomatic expression “that ship has sailed” has a few similar idiomatic expressions that also has the same meaning, such as “missed the bus,” “that train has left the station,” and “missed the boat,” these expressions all refer to being late to do or say something.
The expression is used figuratively as well as literally. It can refer to someone arriving at a seaport only to find out that the ship has sailed away. The origin of this idiomatic expression is unknown; however, some people say because it has a literal meaning, the expression became popular as travel through trains, buses, and boats.
The idiomatic expression “that ship has sailed” was said to have originated in the latter half of the 1800s. There are some poems written by different people with the title of the expression.
One of the poems was written in November 2016 and titled “That Ship Has Sailed.” This poem is a romantic one that describes the feeling of a man for a woman and how they spent their time together before slowly drifting apart. The poem describes a lost love and the reminiscing of a past relationship with other lovers.
Another poem written by Luna Quinn in April 2016 was also titled “That Ship Has Sailed.” The poem describes a feeling of cruel love and madness and the harm it can do to someone on the receiving end of that love.
There are other languages with similar idioms to the one we are discussing. The Russians say “poyezd ushol,” meaning “the train has left.” The French use the phrase “rate le bateau,” which means “missed the boat.”
Other variations of the idiomatic expression “that ship has sailed” include the genie is out of the bottle and missed the train.
How People Use The Phrase “That Ship Has Sailed”
We will focus on how and when to use the idiomatic expression “that ship has sailed” correctly in a sentence. It is of utmost importance that you understand how and when to correctly use the idiomatic expression to pass the right message across to the readers.
You use the idiomatic expression “that ship has sailed” when an opportunity or chance to do, say, or achieve something is gone forever and is impossible to do again. By this, we mean when you are supposed to have done something a long time ago, but you refused or were not able to, and now you can no longer do what you needed to do.
The expression is also used when you have missed an occasion of traveling, especially by sea. For example, if you are supposed to go on a voyage and get to the seaport late and missed the boat, then it is safe to say the ship has sailed, and you may not be able to go on that journey again.
When a person shows signs of giving up on a particular issue because it seems impossible to achieve, you can say, for that particular situation, “that ship has sailed,” which perfectly describes that scenario.
You can also use this idiomatic expression when saying something is no longer relevant and can no longer be achieved, so one should not bother trying. This idiomatic expression is mainly used when the right time or period to perform a specific action or say a sure thing has passed; hence such action can no longer occur.
It is also used when a particular situation has taken place and cannot be changed, implying it is too late to do something about such a situation. It is also used to describe a situation that has already been decided and cannot be reversed.
It is also used when the possibility of something happening is zero when it is too late to do or get something. The expression is also used when the opportunity to prevent something from happening has passed.
When there is a situation or an issue, and by the time you come up with a solution, it is too late to carry it out, you can say “that ship has sailed” for that particular situation.
Illustrative Examples Of The Use Of The Phrase “That Ship Has Sailed”
We have identified everything you need to understand about the idiomatic expression, and now we will look at some examples that help clarify the idiom.
- I desperately needed someone to help me write my resume for the post of manager in the company, but by the time I had gotten it done, the secretary told me that ship has sailed, and they are no longer recruiting.
- By the time John made up his mind to reconcile with his ex-girlfriend and propose to her, she said that ship has sailed. She was engaged to someone else.
- I was planning on buying the car I saw at the dealer’s shop last week, but when I told my friend about it, he said that ship has sailed, and John had already bought the car.
- I kept telling Sofia that we should go to the Justin Beiber concert, but the ticketer said all tickets had been sold out, so it seems that ship has sailed.
- We were planning on getting a custom cake for the celebration party at the company, but the bakery said they were out of order, and even though we were planning on inscribing the company logo on the cake, that ship has sailed.
- Gabriel told me that if I was hoping to ask Ella to the dance, that ship has sailed because she is going to the dance with Emmett.
- My mum asked, “are you still attending the concert tonight?” I replied, “it is too late. That ship has sailed.”
Final Thoughts
The purpose of this article is to clear up any misconception on the use of the idiomatic expression “that ship has sailed.” Based on the explanations provided, it is clear that using this idiom when writing is not difficult once you have the proper knowledge of its use.
You do not have to be confused or unclear when to use the idiomatic expression “that ship has sailed” when writing; we have made it clear and understandable. So, have fun using idiomatic expressions in your sentences and speeches.
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Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.