in the nick of time

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nick (n

1. A shallow notch, cut, or indentation on an edge or a surface: nicks in the table; razor nicks on his chin.

2. Chiefly British Slang A prison or police station.

3. Printing A groove down the side of a piece of type used to ensure that it is correctly placed.

tr.v. nicked, nick·ing, nicks

a. To cut a nick or notch in.

b. To cut into and wound slightly: A sliver of glass nicked my hand.

2. To cut short; check: nicked an impulse to flee.

3. Slang To cheat, especially by overcharging.

4. Chiefly British Slang

a. To steal.

b. To arrest.

Idiom:

in the nick of time

Just at the critical moment; just in time.

[Middle English nik, possibly alteration (influenced by nokke, notch) of niche; see niche.]

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adv.

in the nick of time - at the last possible moment; "she was saved in the nick of time"

just in time

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endowment
GIFT
giving
just in time
nick

Nicking
Pudding time
time
wire

The doctor came in the nick of time, and soon brought her to.

No Name by Collins, Wilkie View in context

It came into my mind in the nick of time, how Columbus, or Cortez, or one of those people, played an eclipse as a saving trump once, on some savages, and I saw my chance.

A Connecticut Yankee by Twain, Mark View in context

She was horrified to think how near she had come to being guilty herself; she had been saved in the nick of time by a revival in the colored Methodist Church, a fortnight before, at which time and place she "got religion.

Pudd'n'head Wilson by Twain, Mark View in context

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