In the following question on idioms and phrases, choose the option that best expresses the meaning of the expression down to the wire.

Introduction / Context:
Idioms and phrases are fixed expressions whose meanings cannot always be guessed directly from the literal meanings of their individual words. This question asks about the idiom down to the wire. Such expressions often come from sports, history, or everyday practices and are widely used in journalism, sports commentary, and casual conversation. Understanding them is important for reading comprehension and effective speaking. Here, the learner must choose the option that correctly explains what it means when a contest, event, or decision goes down to the wire.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Idiomatic expression: down to the wire.
• Four explanatory options are provided.
• Only one option captures the accepted figurative meaning.
• Context is general English, often seen in sports or competitive situations.

Concept / Approach:
Down to the wire is an idiom that originated from horse racing, where a wire used to mark the finish line. When a race stayed undecided until the horses reached that line, it was said to go down to the wire. In modern usage, the idiom describes any situation where the result is not known until the very last moment. This could be an election, a sports match, a business deal, or even a student completing a project just before the deadline. Therefore, the correct option must mention a situation whose outcome is only decided at the last minute, rather than any reference to bombs, bondage, or spending money.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, use the idiom in a few sentences. We can say The election went down to the wire because the winner was declared only after the last votes were counted. Another example is Our project completion came down to the wire, meaning it was finished at the last possible moment. In both cases, the key idea is that the final result was not decided until the very end. None of the example usages suggests an explosion, breaking chains, or spending every last rupee. Therefore, the definition in option C is correctly aligned with common usage.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A, removing the bondage that is keeping one down, suggests freedom or liberation but has no connection with the original sports based origin of the idiom.
• Option B, the last second before the bomb explodes, is dramatic but inaccurate and seems to borrow imagery from films rather than language history.
• Option D, finishing all available resources to the last penny, describes using up resources but does not capture the specific idea of an undecided outcome until the end.

Common Pitfalls:
In idiom questions, learners sometimes choose answers with extreme or dramatic descriptions because they appear memorable, even when those descriptions are not accurate. Another pitfall is to focus entirely on the literal words wire and imagine physical wires like electric cables or bombs, which leads to incorrect interpretations. To avoid these mistakes, it helps to read widely and notice idioms in context. Over time, one acquires a natural sense of phrases like down to the wire, which are then easily matched with their correct meanings in exam questions.

Final Answer:
to denote a situation whose outcome is not decided until the very last minute