To fail for want of a final effort; to fall short of success at the last moment, like building a mountain but lacking one basketful of earth to complete it.
这项研究投入了大量心血，眼看就要取得突破了，却因为资金突然中断而不得不停止，真是山亏一篑
A great deal of effort was put into this research, and it was on the verge of a breakthrough, but it had to be stopped due to a sudden cut in funding, truly a case of failing at the last hurdle.
Next Idiom