DOWN TO THE WIRE, DRAW A BLANK, DRAW THE LINE AT (SOMETHING): American English Idioms #59

DOWN TO THE WIRE

Down to the wire is a term that describes the last few seconds before the deadline. This phrase became popular in the late 1800s when people would use telegraphy to send messages across long distances.

The phrase “down to the wire” is a colloquialism used in reference to when time left for completing a task is minimal, typically within one week. It can also refer to someone who is nearing death and will not be able to survive much longer.

Down to the wire means leaving something until the last possible moment. It is a phrase used when someone has finished something, usually a big project or task, and they are very close to the time limit. The person will have been working on it for a while and need to finish it quickly.

This idiom is used when there are only a few days left to complete an assignment or activity. The word “wire” can be used in two ways. It can refer to the metal wire that connects two different sides of an electrical circuit which usually carries electricity, or it can refer to the edge of a cliff. When someone feels that they are on the edge of a cliff, they know that they are very close to losing everything.

A common idiom, “down to the wire,” means that an event or deadline is extremely close or likely to occur without much time left. This phrase usually refers to a plan that is nearing completion or the end of a deadline.

DRAW A BLANK

This is an idiom, so it is a phrase used to mean something other than the literal meaning of the words that form it. This idiom means “to feel very tired.” The word that causes this to happen is “weary,” which comes from the archaic word “wary.” This word refers to being cautious about what one does, so it makes sense how someone would be exhausted if they’ve been doing things carefully for a long time.

The phrase “to draw a blank” is often used to denote forgetting or not being able to recall some specific information. This idiom derives from the literal meaning of the words: to draw a piece of paper over an empty space, so as to hide it from view, which can be seen as a metaphor for forgetting.

Draw a blank idiom is when someone doesn’t know the answer to a question, for example “what is your favorite movie?”.

The term “draw a blank” in psychology is when an individual doesn’t know or can’t remember anything. This can happen in many situations, for instance during an exam when the questioner has the answer on the tip of their tongue but cannot recall what it was.

DRAW THE LINE AT (SOMETHING)

To draw the line at something means to set an upper limit or boundary for an activity.

To draw the line at something is to make a conscious decision about what is and is not appropriate, deciding the maximum amount of tolerable change. This usually occurs when considering changes that are necessary or desired in one’s personal life, geography, politics or society.

The line is drawn at something idiomatically when one makes a personal decision to not take any more of an endeavor, task, or responsibility. This phrase is often used in the context of someone’s breaking under pressure or giving up on an activity because it has become too difficult.

This idiom refers to drawing a line at something when making a personal choice. This is typically done when the choices are mutually exclusive and necessitate an outcome in order to move forward or progress.
The term can also be used in the context of ‘drawing the line’ in terms of not tolerating any more and finally standing up for oneself and saying enough is enough.