Saved by the bell
Meaning
To be rescued from a difficult or unpleasant situation at the very last moment, often by an external event that abruptly ends the predicament.
Origin
In the intense world of 19th-century boxing, a fighter on the brink of collapse, moments away from a knockout, could find salvation in the most timely sound imaginable: the bell. When a boxer was floored, the referee would begin a ten-count; if the round ended and the bell rang before the count reached ten, the fighter was spared, granted a crucial reprieve to recover in their corner. This dramatic, last-gasp rescue from imminent defeat in the ring gave the phrase its vivid life, quickly exiting the arena to describe any fortunate intervention that pulls someone back from the edge of disaster at the very last moment.
Examples
- I was struggling to answer the professor's difficult question, but the class bell rang, and I was saved by the bell.
- The company was on the verge of bankruptcy, but a last-minute investment deal came through, saving them by the bell.