fall at the last hurdle

Probably from hurdling, a type of horse racing where horses jump over obstacles called hurdles. The term refers to a horse successfully clearing all but the last hurdle.[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔːl æt ðə ˌlɑːst ˈhɜːdl̩/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔl æt ðə ˌlæst ˈhɝd(ə)l/

• Audio (AU)

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• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)dəl
• Hyphenation: hurd‧le

fall at the last hurdle (third-person singular simple present falls at the last hurdle, present participle falling at the last hurdle, simple past fell at the last hurdle, past participle fallen at the last hurdle)

1. (intransitive, idiomatic) To fail near the end of an activity, a project, etc.

   Synonyms: fall at the final hurdle, fall at the last

   Antonyms: cross the line, go all the way

   • [1990, E[dward] J[ohn] Kenney, “Introduction”, in Apuleius, edited by E. J. Kenney, Cupid & Psyche (Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics; Imperial Library), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, New York, N.Y.: Cambridge University Press, published 2001, →ISBN, page 14:

     [W]hen she [Psyche] falls at her last hurdle, it is through her own act, motivated by the identical combination of curiositas and simplicitas that has been her undoing from the start.]

   • 1995, Warren Redman, “A Structure for Listening”, in Achieving Personal Success: An Introduction to Inner Balancing, Calgary, Alta.: Merlin Star Press, →ISBN, page 62:

     Now, at the point of action, it's easy to appear to fall at the last hurdle. In fact, you are unlikely to fail here. If it goes wrong now, it will [be] because you slipped at a previous waterjump and didn't notice the splash you made.

   • 1997, Jack Sanger with with Jane Wilson, Bryn Davies, and Roger Whitaker, “Keeping IT in the Family: Computer Games and Families”, in Young Children, Videos and Computer Games: Issues for Teachers and Parents, London, Bristol, Pa.: The Falmer Press, Taylor & Francis, →ISBN, page 82:

     Mortal Kombat 2 is the sequel to Mortal Kombat. […] Sub Zero—the mysterious icy ninja, is one of the best fighters out of the brave warriors trying to save earth from the hands of Shao Khan. Falling himself also at the last hurdle of doing away with Tsung, wants to get his frosty hands on Khan now.

   • 1999, Judith Pallot, “Everyday Forces of Resistance to the Stolypin Reform”, in Land Reform in Russia 1906–1917: Peasant Responses to Stolypin’s Project of Rural Transformation, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, published 2001, →ISBN, page 176:

     [T]he resources of local land settlement commissions could be tied up for many months or years in a continuous process of devising and revising enclosure projects, only for the final project to fall at the last hurdle.

   • 2001, Brian Cosgrove, “Sport, Politics and the ‘Other Side’”, in The Yew Tree at the Head of the Strand, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, →ISBN, pages 143–144:

     Armagh (and it is one of the most memorable chapters in the history of Gaelic football) were fated to fall at the last hurdle when they were beaten by Kerry in the All-Ireland decider.

   • 2014, Justyn Rees Larcombe, “Fully Committed”, in Tails I Lose: The Compulsive Gambler who Lost His Shirt for Good, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Lion Books, Lion Hudson, →ISBN, part 2 (The Army), page 72:

     I remembered my failed attempt at flying training, how I had fallen at the last hurdle.

   • 2017, Hans van de Ven, “The Battle of Shanghai”, in China at War: Triumph and Tragedy in the Emergence of the New China, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, published 2018, →ISBN, part II (Momentous Times), page 80:

     Some units penetrated as far as the last street before the river, but once more poor intelligence, lack of coordination and limited firepower meant that Operation Iron Fist fell at the last hurdle.