Definition
Rescued or favorably assisted by a timely interruption or by the sudden termination of difficult circumstances.
In Context
- "So Asad's probing created a problem. . . . In a real sense Kissinger was saved by the bell: the American party had that afternoon to catch a plane to Israel."
- "The Montgomery bus boycott was "saved by the bell" of a federal Supreme Court decision that came just before the last minute."
- "But in 1998, Mr. DiFrancesco never answered the allegations against him to the satisfaction of town officials. Instead, he was saved by the bell, in a way: In a rare electoral upset, Democrats took control of the Township Council in November 1998. They immediately fired Mr. DiFrancesco and replaced him with a Democrat, giving his termination the appearance of simple partisan politics."