Idiom
In the nick of time
In the nick of time means just in time, at the last possible moment before something bad would have happened.
How people use it
People use it for close calls (the plumber arrived in the nick of time) and everyday rushes (we made the train in the nick of time). It is often used with just (just in the nick of time). The tone is neutral and slightly dramatic. It suggests relief, because a few seconds later would have been too late. It is not used for being early.
Also said: just in the nick of time.
Examples
- Grace grabbed the pot off the stove in the nick of time, just before the milk boiled over.
- We reached the gate in the nick of time, as the last passengers were boarding.
- The rain held off until the picnic ended, and we packed up in the nick of time.
Where it comes from
A nick is a small notch or cut. Long ago, notches cut into wooden tally sticks were used to keep records of counts, payments or time, and 'the nick' came to mean the exact or critical moment. 'In the nick' was used this way by the 1500s, and 'in the nick of time' appears soon after. The tally-stick link is a likely explanation, not a certain one.
Check yourself
1. What does in the nick of time mean?
Answer: Just in time, at the last moment. In the nick of time means at the last possible moment, just before it would have been too late.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: Leo caught the falling vase in the nick of time.. Catching the vase at the last moment fits. Arriving hours early or missing the bus does not.
Similar idioms
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