under the wire—just before a deadline; at the last possible moment:
- Nancy mailed off her application, and it got in just under the wire.
Note: The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase over the wire—(dated) speaking on the telephone (also: on the wire):
- The second advertisement shows a Victorianlooking man speaking over the wire to a woman.
under wire—
1. (of an area) fenced with barbed wire:
- There is the outer perimeter of the military unit, which is under wire, nearby our house.
2. (of railroads) electrified:
- The United States at that time had more miles of track “under wire” than any other country.