hairbreadth

hairbreadth

He escaped the falling rock by a hairbreadth.

Definition

  1. Noun:

    • A very small distance or margin: "hairbreadth" refers to an extremely narrow amount of space, often used to describe a close escape or near miss. It is derived from the width of a single hair.

  2. Adjective:

    • Extremely narrow or close: "hairbreadth" describes something that is almost too close for safety or success, such as a narrow escape or a slight difference.
Usage Examples

  • Noun:

    • He escaped death by a hairbreadth. (He avoided death by an extremely small margin.)
    • The car missed the pedestrian by a hairbreadth. (The car came within a tiny distance of hitting the person.)

  • Adjective:

    • They had a hairbreadth escape from the collapsing building. (They narrowly avoided being trapped or injured.)
    • The election was decided by a hairbreadth margin. (The difference in votes was extremely small.)
Advanced Usage

  • "within a hairbreadth of": very close to experiencing something (often danger or success).

    • She was within a hairbreadth of winning the race. (She almost won, missing victory by a tiny amount.)
    • The team came within a hairbreadth of losing. (They nearly lost, but avoided it by a small margin.)

  • "by a hairbreadth": by an extremely small amount.

    • The bullet missed his head by a hairbreadth. (The bullet passed extremely close to his head.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Hair's breadth (n): an alternative spelling or phrase meaning the same thing.

    • He avoided the accident by a hair's breadth. (Same as "hairbreadth".)

  • Hairline (n): a very thin line, often referring to the edge of hair growth on the forehead or a fine crack.

    • There is a hairline crack in the vase. (A very thin crack.)
Synonyms

  • Whisker (n): a very small distance or margin.

    • She won by a whisker. (She won by a tiny amount.)

  • Scant (adj): barely sufficient or very small.

    • There is a scant chance of success. (A very small chance.)
Related Idioms

  • By the skin of one's teeth: barely escaping a situation (similar to "by a hairbreadth").

    • He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth. (He passed with the smallest possible margin.)

  • Close call: a situation where something dangerous is narrowly avoided.

    • That was a close call — the car almost hit us. (A near accident.)