hair-line

A calligrapher carefully draws a hair-line stroke with a brush.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A very thin line or crack: "hair-line" refers to a line that is as thin as a single strand of hair, often used to describe a fine crack or boundary.
   • A line of hair growth: In anatomy or cosmetics, "hair-line" denotes the natural line along the top of the forehead where hair grows, or the edge of a hairpiece or wig.
   • A type of rope: "hair-line" can mean a rope made from hair, though this usage is rare and historical.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The vase had a hair-line crack that was barely visible. (A very thin, fine crack in the surface.)
  • His hair-line is receding as he gets older. (The line of hair growth on his forehead is moving backward.)
  • The artist used a hair-line brush to paint the delicate details. (A brush with very fine bristles, producing thin strokes.)

Advanced Usage

• "hair-line fracture": a medical term for a very thin crack in a bone.

  • The athlete suffered a hair-line fracture in his ankle. (A small, non-displaced bone break that may not be visible on an X-ray without careful examination.)

• "hair-line decision": a decision made by a very narrow margin.

  • The election was a hair-line decision, with only 100 votes separating the candidates. (A very close outcome.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hairline (adj): extremely thin or fine.

  • She has a hairline scar on her chin. (A scar that is very thin and barely noticeable.)

• Hairline (n, alternative spelling): the same as "hair-line", often written as a single word without a hyphen in modern usage.

Synonyms

• Fine line: a very thin line.
• Crack: a narrow opening or fissure (when referring to a physical break).
• Edge: the border or boundary (when referring to hair growth).

Related Idioms

• A hair's breadth: a very small distance or margin.

  • He escaped the accident by a hair's breadth. (By an extremely narrow margin.)

• By a hair: by the smallest possible margin.

  • She won the race by a hair. (With a very slight lead.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Hair-line in: not applicable as "hair-line" is primarily a noun or adjective, not a verb.
• Hair-line out: not applicable.

Note: "Hair-line" is a compound noun that can function as an adjective when hyphenated (e.g., "hair-line crack"). In modern English, it is often written as "hairline" without a hyphen, especially in medical and cosmetic contexts.