Английский словарь американских идиом - miss the boat

also miss the bus {v. phr.}, {informal} To fail through slowness; to put something off until too late; do the wrong thing and lose the chance. * /Mr. Brown missed the boat when he decided not to buy the house./ * /In college he didn't study enough so he missed the boat and failed to pass./ * /Ted could have married Lena but he put off asking her and missed the boat./