'Just in time' versus 'In the nick of time'

Hi

Do the given expressions have the same meaning?

‘Just in time’ and ‘In the nick of time’

1- Help came just in time.
2- Help came in the nick of time.

Tom

I think, Tom, they are the same. You may also add very
in the very nick of time.

Hi Pamela,

Does ‘in the (very) nick of time’ have the meaning ‘at the very last moment’ (with special emphasis on the last)?

Hi Tom

The expressions are similar, but for me “just in the nick of time” has much more of a feeling that if whatever happened at the last possible moment had not happened, something extremely negative or tragic would have happened.

She pulled the three-year-old out of the path of the oncoming car just in the nick of time.

As Pamela mentioned, you can also say “in the very nick of time” but this is probably much less commonly used.

Amy

I think very is stressed, Tamara :smiley: