1. Home
2. Idioms
3. under the wire

under the wire

---

---

under the wire

Fig. just barely in time or on time. I turned in my report just under the wire. Bill was the last person to get in the door. He got in under the wire.

See also: wire

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.

See also: wire

under the wire

Barely, scarcely, just within the limit, as in This book will be finished just under the wire. This term comes from horse racing, where the wire marks the finish line. [First half of 1900s] Also see down to the wire.

See also: wire

under the wire

mod. at the very last minute. I got it in just under the wire.

See also: wire

under the wire

1. Sports At the finish line.

2. Informal Just in the nick of time; at the last moment.

See also: wire