the eleventh hour
1
at the last moment that it is still possible to do something
The idiom "the eleventh hour" has its origins in the Bible, specifically in the New Testament. It is mentioned in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard found in the Gospel of Matthew. In this parable, a landowner hires workers at different times throughout the day, with some starting early in the morning and others being hired as late as the eleventh hour (or the last hour of the workday). When the workers are paid, those who were hired last receive the same payment as those who worked the full day. It often comes up when referring to deadlines, critical decisions, or moments of crisis.
- We are in the eleventh hour of negotiations, and a resolution must be reached soon.
- She always waits until the eleventh-hour to start studying for exams.
- The team is working frantically in the eleventh hour to meet the project deadline.
- He completed the assignment at the eleventh hour, just before the submission deadline.
- It will be the eleventh-hour when we make the final decision on the investment.
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