down to the wire
Photo-finish close
Down to the wire describes a situation decided at the last possible moment, with the outcome uncertain until the very end.
From horse racing, where a wire marked the finish line.
The election went down to the wire.
We finished the project, but it was down to the wire.
- last minuteJust before deadline
- nail-biterSuspensefully close competition
- photo finishRace decided by camera
- too close to callUndecidable by current count
- close callDisaster narrowly averted
eleventh hour · deadline · tie-breaker · finale · endgame · zero hour · razor-thin · ticking clock · culmination · crunch time · race against time · by a whisker · skin of teeth · finish line · buzzer-beater · squeaker · climax · high stakes
- close winsphoto finish, buzzer beater, squeaker, nail biter, close call
- Competition idiomslevel playing field, neck and neck, come from behind, in the running, out of the running
- competitioncompete, competitor, contender, winner, sports
- close callsclose call, near miss, narrow escape, close shave, nick of time
- sports dramacomeback story, underdog story, rivalry, upset, buzzer beater
- sports idiomsdrop the ball, throw in the towel, slam dunk, out of left field, level playing field
down to the wireforegone conclusion
Result assumed beforehand
in the bag · sewn up · locked up · predetermined · early finish
down to the wireforegone conclusion
Result assumed beforehand
no contest · open and shut · predetermined · clear-cut · predictable
down, wire, downtown, wired, wires, wiring, downs, download, downturn