1. running out of time; at the very last minute; having a result that is not known until the end; to the deadline

1. I can’t talk to you now. I’m down-to-the-wire on this research report.

2. I think the election will go right down to the wire.

3. With a home crowd behind them, the game came down to the wire, and was tied at the end of it.

4. The title fight again went down to the wire.

5. The investment bankers need to turn in their report at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning, and they've still got many hours of work left on it. They're going to be working down to the wire.