down to the short strokes

== English == === Etymology === Possibly an allusion to painting, in which a painter typically finishes a work with short, careful, finishing strokes of the paint brush, or to golf, in which a player concludes each hole by making short strokes with a putter. In swimming competition, as a swimmer nearly reaches a wall to turn or to finish, the competitor might take a shorter stroke to start the turn smoothly, or to finish faster. === Pronunciation === === Adjective === down to the short strokes (idiomatic) In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious. === Adverb === down to the short strokes (idiomatic) To the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious. ==== Synonyms ==== down to the wire