wire

down to the wire (American & Australian)

until the very last moment that it is possible to do something. If both teams are playing at their best, the game will go down to the wire (= it will be won at the last moment). The Democrats struggled down to the wire to choose their candidate.

See also: down

get your lines/wires crossed

if two people get their lines crossed, they do not understand each other correctly. Somehow we got our lines crossed because I'd got the 23rd written down in my diary and Jenny had the 16th.

See also: crosse, line

a live wire

someone who is very quick and active, both mentally and physically. I hadn't met Rory before - he's a real live wire.

See also: live

under the wire (American)

if someone does something under the wire, they do it at the last possible moment. They got in under the wire just before the entry requirements for the training program changed.

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down to the wire

until the last possible moment. The election was so close, it went down to the wire and was decided by a court. We had very little time to get the place decorated for the party, which meant that everyone worked right down to the wire.

Etymology: based on the racing meaning of wire (= a thread that marks where a race ends)

See also: down