📖 Saved by the Bell 🔔
Definition
Saved by the bell: A last-minute reprieve. Originating from boxing, the phrase refers to the bell that rings at the end of a round, saving a downed boxer from being counted out. Over time, it’s come to represent any situation where one is saved from trouble or embarrassment at the very last moment.
Example: “‘Then I don’t know it,’ I told him, saved by the bell,” wrote Alan Sillitoe (The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner, 1959).
Similar Terms and Expressions
- Time’s up: The end of the allotted period to perform a task.
- A close shave: Narrowly avoiding something undesirable.
- In the nick of time: Just in time to prevent something bad.
- Last-ditch effort: A final attempt to avoid failure.
- Clutch: Performing well under extreme pressure, often in sports.
- Squeaking by: Managing to succeed with minimal margin for error.
Related Proverbs
- Better late than never: It’s preferable to do something belatedly than not at all.
- All’s well that ends well: A problem or a dramatic situation turns out favorably.
Humor filled Quotes
- “The only reason I still have a job is because the meeting got cut off due to a five-minute break!” 😂
- “Just when I thought it was all over, my mom called and I had to attend to an ‘urgent’ family issue!” 🙈📞
- “The presentation was going downhill until the fire alarm went off. Can we please not test it again?!” 🔥🚨
Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies
Books:
- “The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner” by Alan Sillitoe
- “Lucky Jim” by Kingsley Amis
- “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card
Songs:
- “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper
- “Last Resort” by Papa Roach
- “Hold On for One More Day” by Wilson Phillips
Movies:
- “Rocky” (A series of sports drama, featuring a boxer often saved by the bell)
- “Edge of Tomorrow” (Involves many last-minute saves)
- “Mission: Impossible” Series (For those sudden twists and Turner’s every impossible moment!)
Quizzes with Explanations
### Which of these indicates being saved at the last moment?
- [ ] Run like a cheetah
- [ ] Dance on a tightrope
- [x] Saved by the bell
- [ ] Trapped under paperweights
> **Explanation:** "Saved by the bell" is a genuine idiom derived from boxing. It symbolizes a last-minute save from an undesirable situation.
### What does “In the nick of time” mean?
- [ ] Having great fortune
- [ ] Early starter
- [ ] Urgency unsuccessful
- [x] Just in time to prevent something troublesome
> **Explanation:** "In the nick of time" means arriving or happening at exactly the right time to prevent disaster or a negative outcome.
### True or False: Being saved by the bell can literally mean an end-of-period school bell freeing you from answering a tough question
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** True! Literally or figuratively, being saved by the bell signifies a timely interruption that rescues one from an uncomfortable or perilous situation.
### Synonym of "Saved by the bell"
- [ ] Totally washed out
- [ ] Overall lost
- [x] Clutch
- [ ] Wide sweep
> **Explanation:** **Clutch** refers to performing successfully under pressure, just like being saved by the bell indicates a pivotal, repertoire moment opened by timings.
### Finish the Sentence: "The team was _______ when the final whistle blew just before the opponents could score a winning goal."
- [ ] last resorted
- [x] saved by the bell
- [ ] all lost in a moment
- [ ] outright run-free
> **Explanation:** The team was **saved by the bell** when the final whistle blew right in time to prevent the opponents from gaining an upper hand.
Penned by W.T. Wittywords ✒️ in 2023. Until our next linguistic adventure, remember, sometimes life’s greatest hurdles only need a well-timed bell! 🛎
