Beat (one) to the punch verb phrase
If you beat someone to the punch, you do something before he or she does.
When I was about to say the answer to the teacher's question, John beat me to the punch.
I wanted to pay for our meal, but Lisa had beat me to the punch.
Anticipate doing something with great eagerness, eagerness or excitement
The verb "beat" must be conjugated according to its tense.
The phrase is said to have stemmed from boxing
Used to allude that the last force, problem or burden which is seemingly minor and small causes a person, system or organisation to collapse or fail
Her husband's violent act last night was the straw that broke the donkey's back and she left him