In the Nick of Time.
English
idiom
At the last possible moment.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
At the last possible moment.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
Just in time, at the very last moment before it is too late.
When something happens in the nick of time, it barely arrives before a deadline or a bad outcome.
There's a strong sense of relief when this expression is used.
"Just in Time"
—
Arriving at the right moment with no urgency or near-miss implied
"At the Last Minute"
—
At the very end of available time, often with disorganization rather than relief
"In the Nick of Time"
—
Arriving or acting at the last possible moment before something goes wrong
Did you catch the error before the presentation started?
In the nick of time — I spotted it while loading the slides.
Did you make it to the pharmacy before it closed?
In the nick of time — they were just locking the door.
How close was it?
In the nick of time — five more minutes and we'd have missed everything.
