Identify the correct meaning of the idiom from the given alternatives.

Just before the deadline; with no time to spare.

The correct option is At the eleventh hour.

Explanation:

The idiom "at the eleventh hour" means happening or done at the last possible moment, just before a deadline or before it is too late to act, leaving no time to spare.

Origin & Context:

This phrase originates from the Bible (Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard in the Gospel of Matthew), where laborers hired at the eleventh hour of a twelve-hour workday received the same pay as those who started early in the morning. In modern usage, it describes any action taken at the very last minute.

Example:

"The agreement was signed at the eleventh hour, preventing a strike."

Analysis of other options:

• Beyond the schedule: Means running late or occurring after the planned time.

• Against the clock: Means doing something in a great hurry before a specified time runs out, but doesn't specifically refer to the very final moment itself.

• Beneath the wire: The actual common idiom is "under the wire" (just barely making a deadline), making "beneath the wire" an incorrect phrasing.