Etymology Journal ยท E
Eleventh hour
Meaning
- At the very last possible moment before it is too late. It describes the frantic final stage of a project or deadline.
Urgent, dramatic
Used in a sentence
- He turned in his final paper at the eleventh hour.
- We reached an agreement at the eleventh hour just before the store closed.
- Do not wait until the eleventh hour to start packing for your trip.
The backstory
It originates from the biblical parable of the laborers in the vineyard in the Gospel of Matthew. Those hired at the eleventh hour were the last to be hired but still received a full day's pay.
Heard in
Nationwide
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