a minute to spare

English translation: A minute before the train leaves

06:42 Jan 7, 2014
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Slang
English term or phrase: a minute to spare
we just caught the train by a whiskers-with less than a minute to spare
sana66
Iran
Local time: 20:35
Selected answer:A minute before the train leaves
Explanation:
We got on the train less than a minute before it left
Selected response from:

Lincoln Hui
Hong Kong
Local time: 01:05
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +9A minute before the train leaves
Lincoln Hui
4a time margin of one minute
Tania McConaghy


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +9
A minute before the train leaves


Explanation:
We got on the train less than a minute before it left

Lincoln Hui
Hong Kong
Local time: 01:05
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese, Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
Notes to answerer
Asker: thank u ir :)

Asker: sir*


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Petro Ebersöhn (X): Less than a minute before the train left.
10 mins

agree  Charles Davis
16 mins

agree  David Moore (X): Yes - how right you are!
1 hr
  -> The words "less than" are from the original sentence

agree  Jack Doughty
1 hr

agree  Thayenga: :)
1 hr

agree  Jenni Lukac (X): Petro is correct.
1 hr

agree  Edith Kelly
5 hrs

agree  Phong Le
19 hrs

agree  Jean-Claude Gouin: I agree with Jenni ... Petro is correct ...
1 day 13 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a time margin of one minute


Explanation:
for the sake of future user of Kudoz archives or the glossary I offer this alternative....the earlier answer provides a correct explanation of the concept, but the queried term did not actually include "train"

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Note added at 6 hrs (2014-01-07 12:45:08 GMT)
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a more idiomatic expression would perhaps be "in the nick of time"

Example sentence(s):
  • The operation has been optimized within a time margin of one minute.
  • ... Lewis Yacht Club 11- mile race off Brenton's Reef and Beavertail with a corrected time margin of one minute and eight seconds over Carl Jurgens Cas- siopia.
Tania McConaghy
Sweden
Local time: 18:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Cilian O'Tuama: Had they arrived a minute later, they would have missed the train, no?
15 hrs
  -> yes, that's what this means
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