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lost in the mists of time
01
(of something that happened) really difficult to remember how long has passed since it happened to one
What is the origin of the idiom "lost in the mists of time" and when to use it?
The idiom "lost in the mists of time" suggests that something has become exceedingly difficult to remember or recall due to the vast amount of time that has passed since it occurred. The expression likely draws upon the idea that memories, like distant objects shrouded in mist, become obscured and unclear as they recede further into the past. This idiom is often used when discussing events or details that occurred so long ago that they have faded from one's memory or become hazy and indistinct.
Example
For all that we've learned about these ancient structures, most of their purpose has been lost in the mists of time.
My great-grandparents' stories of their early life are now lost in the mists of time, leaving only fragments of memories.
The details of the city's founding have become lost in the mists of time, with historians relying on sparse records and legends.
The origins of that ancient legend are lost in the mists of time, and the true story may never be known.
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