English idiom · neutral · spoken & written · BrE & AmE
in the nick of time: meaning and examples
in the nick of time means just before it is too late.
Implica que quedaba poquísimo tiempo. Es más enfático que el simple «on time».
نشان میدهد زمان بسیار کمی باقی مانده بود و از «on time» تأکید بیشتری دارد.
Die Wendung betont, dass kaum Zeit übrig war. Sie ist stärker als das einfache „on time“.
Elle souligne qu’il ne restait presque plus de temps. Elle est plus forte que le simple « on time ».
Memory hook: Picture a door closing, and you slip through the tiny gap at the final second.
How to use “in the nick of time”
- We reached the station in the nick of time.
- The firefighters arrived in the nick of time.
- I submitted the form in the nick of time.
Common mistake: Do not confuse it with “on time”. In the nick of time adds the idea of danger or a very close deadline.
Learn it in context
This expression belongs to Lesson 2, where you can compare it with other idioms about time and practise it interactively.
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