the last minute

the last minute

The very last possible moment or opportunity. In an attempt to avoid a government shutdown, congress has pushed forward a spending bill at the last minute. When I found out my flight to Paris had been canceled, I decided at the last minute to fly to Hawaii instead.
See also: last, minute
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • last-minute
  • at the last minute
  • at the last minute/moment
  • gasp
  • at the last gasp
  • to the last
  • to/till the last
  • till the last
  • at the last chance saloon
  • in the last chance saloon
References in classic literature
"At the last minute?" he echoed, betraying his surprise that she should ever have considered the alternative possible.
"It's because it warn't INTENDED for any of us to come but Tom," he says; "but I begged and begged, and at the last minute she let me come, too; so, com- ing down the river, me and Tom thought it would be a first-rate surprise for him to come here to the house first, and for me to by and by tag along and drop in, and let on to be a stranger.
"I WASN'T flirting with him -- I honestly thought I cared up to the last minute -- and then -- well, I just knew I NEVER could marry him."
I know it's disgraceful, but I go to sleep at the opera, and I sit out the opera bouffe to the last minute, and enjoy it.
"You oughtn't to be seen till the last minute, child."
It was hard getting into my dress alone, and I hadn't time to eat but a mouthful, and just at the last minute, when I honestly--HONESTLY --would have thought about clearing away and locking up, I looked at the clock and knew I could hardly get back to school in time to form in the line; and I thought how dreadful it would be to go in late and get my first black mark on a Friday afternoon, with the minister's wife and the doctor's wife and the school committee all there!"
Kala Nag had no tusks; the chain was the badge of his authority; but for all that, he swung wide of Moti Guj at the last minute, and tried to appear as if he had brought the chain out for amusement.
And at the last minute she left a message for him, to be transmitted by Tarzan of the Apes.
take this gentleman's luggage -- Dover line twelve o'clock train -- that's it," and without waiting for another word Jerry wheeled me round to make room for other cabs that were dashing up at the last minute, and drew up on one side till the crush was past.
She never starts to get ready for luncheon till the last minute." Clatter, clatter!
His punctuality is well known; he never arrives too soon, or too late; and I should not be surprised if he appeared before us at the last minute."
Besides, as it has been seen, the faithful satellite of his minister, young Louis XIV., marched to the last minute in accordance with his gravitation.
"You've been holding it sideways for the last minute, and letting all the champagne run out!
The patient goes on hoping till the last minute and says he is all right.
At the last minute, when the social machine was clogged hopelessly, one member or other of the family poured in a drop of oil.