to barely make it

to barely make it

1. To come very close to failing at something but succeed in the end. That marathon was so exhausting, I barely made it! I barely made it through math class this semester.
2. To come very close to being late for something, such as a deadline, appointment, class, etc., but manage to arrive on time in the end. A shortening of "barely make it on time." If you leave right now, you'll just barely make it to the film before it starts.
See also: barely, make
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • a narrow escape/squeak
  • narrow escape
  • by the skin of (one's) teeth
  • by the skin of one's teeth
  • by the skin of teeth
  • by the skin of your teeth
  • do something by the skin of your teeth
  • have come a long way
  • able to fog a mirror
  • fog