C1idiomtimeIELTS-friendly
at the eleventh hour
USUK
at the last possible moment, just before it is too late
More dramatic than 'at the last minute', common in news. Also as an adjective: 'an eleventh-hour deal'.
In context
The two companies reached a deal at the eleventh hour, just before the strike began.
Our main speaker cancelled at the eleventh hour, so I had to give the talk.
More idioms about time
- a blast from the pastsomething or someone that suddenly reminds you of an earlier time
- a long time comingif something is a long time coming, people have waited a long time for it
- a matter of timecertain to happen, although you do not know exactly when
- a race against timea situation where you must hurry to finish before time runs out
- a sign of the timessomething that shows how society is now, often in a bad way