last minute

See also: last-minute

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

Noun

the last minute

1. (idiomatic) An arbitrary (non-specific) point in time, too close to a deadline to reasonably begin a critical task.

   I like to do everything at the last minute. It does tend to make me late for things, though.

   • 2012 April 29, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Treehouse of Horror III” (season 4, episode 5; originally aired 10/29/1992)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎^[1]:

     “Clown Without Pity,” as the segment is called, opens with Homer forgetting Bart’s birthday and jetting off at the last minute (or rather considerably after the last minute) to pick him up a present. Alas, Homer has the questionable judgment to go gift-shopping at House Of Evil, an establishment that bills itself as “Your one stop evil shop.” That should be a bit of a warning, as is the establishment’s name.

Translations

non-specific point in time close to a deadline

• Finnish: viime hetki, viime tinka
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Adjective

last minute

1. (idiomatic) Very close to a deadline.

   That last minute revision really paid off in the exam!

Translations

very close to a deadline

• Finnish: viime hetken
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• French: de dernière minute