need yesterday

need yesterday

English

Verb

need yesterday

1. (idiomatic) To need something immediately or urgently; to need something that is already late.
   • 1972 Hearings, reports and prints of the Senate Committee on Government Operations, U.S. G.P.O., p119

     We need help - and we need it yesterday - if local government is to remain a viable entity in our society [...]

   • 1980 Thomas A. Rullo, Advances in computer programming management, Heyden, p153

     Many people in systems work are so used to digging in and getting the job done in record time (we need it yesterday!) that the thought of taking several weeks to develop a plan before "doing" anything might sound like heresy to them.

   • 2006 Climate change: the "citizen's agenda", eighth report of session 2006-07, Vol. 2: Oral and written evidence, Volume 2, The Stationery Office, p511

     We need a cultural change and shift in people’s perceptions of the concept of “progress” but we need it yesterday and are fast running out of time.

   • 2006 Joyce Rosenwald & Michel Bonner, The Sinclair Solution, p154

     “Take care of it then,” the President shouted. “I need a summary of the situation and I need a solution. And, I need it yesterday.”