# down to the wire

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/down-to-the-wire
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.

## Examples

- We are down to the wire with this project.
- I usually wait until things are down to the wire before I start packing.
- The team worked all night because the deadline was down to the wire.
- The basketball game went down to the wire as both teams were tied until the final two seconds of play.
- Negotiations between the two companies are going down to the wire, with lawyers still arguing minutes before the contract expires.
- With the election results still uncertain, the campaign managers watched the final votes come in, knowing the outcome would go down to the wire.

## Origin

Originating in the nineteenth-century American horse racing circuit, the phrase refers to the practice of stretching a wire across the track at the finish line to assist judges in identifying the winner of a close race. It describes the final moments of a contest as the horses approach this physical marker. While the wire has largely been superseded by the photo finish, the term persists as a measure of narrow margins.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.