under the wire

under the wire
a) Across the finish line.

Lying forward flattened along Sunfishs hard-muscled shoulders, Bud was gaining and gaining—one length, then two lengths as he shot under the wire, slowed and rode back to find a silent crowd watching him.

b) At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.

Russians had heard rumors, and foreign correspondents had obtained confirmation, that the Dictator will soon drastically tighten up proverbially loose Bolshevik divorce laws. In a panic to get in under the wire, every Moscow mate who has recently thought of divorce was last week jamming the official bureaus.

Syn: in the nick of time

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • under the wire — Wire Wire (w[imac]r), n. [OE. wir, AS. wir; akin to Icel. v[=i]rr, Dan. vire, LG. wir, wire; cf. OHG. wiara fine gold; perhaps akin to E. withy. [root]141.] [1913 Webster] 1. A thread or slender rod of metal; a metallic substance formed to an… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • under the wire — {adv. phr.} With a narrow time limit; in the last minute. * /The journalist s new lead article on Russia was due in press at 5 P.M., and he got it in at 4:57, just under the wire./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • under the wire — {adv. phr.} With a narrow time limit; in the last minute. * /The journalist s new lead article on Russia was due in press at 5 P.M., and he got it in at 4:57, just under the wire./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • under the wire — (USA) If a person does something under the wire, they do it at the last possible moment …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • under the wire — adverb (or adjective) 1. : at the finish line the third horse under the wire 2. : before a deadline : at the last moment pay one s taxes just under the wire * * * under the wire (chiefly N American informal) At the last minute …   Useful english dictionary

  • under the wire — American if someone does something under the wire, they do it at the last possible moment. They got in under the wire just before the entry requirements for the training program changed …   New idioms dictionary

  • under the wire — mod. at the very last minute. □ I got it in just under the wire. □ It was in under the wire. Another ten minutes and it would not have counted …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • under\ the\ wire — adv. phr. With a narrow time limit; in the last minute. The journalist s new lead article on Russia was due in press at 5 P.M., and he got it in at 4:57, just under the wire …   Словарь американских идиом

  • under the wire — just before the end, before closing, just in time    Did you receive my application? It arrived on the last day of the competition, just under the wire …   English idioms

  • under the wire — Digest 22/2002 just in time before a deadline. The newspaper article was due no later than 4 o clock and the editor got in at exactly 3:59. He got it in right under the wire …   Idioms and examples

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