hair's-breadth

Friendly

Explanation of "Hair's-Breadth"

Definition:
The term "hair's-breadth" is a noun that refers to a very small distance or space. It is used to describe something that is extremely close, almost to the point of being too close to call.

Word Variants:

• Hair's-breadth (noun) – the standard form.
• Hair's-breadths (plural) – when referring to multiple instances of narrow escapes or close calls.

Different Meanings:

While "hair's-breadth" primarily refers to a small distance, it can also imply a close call in various contexts, like competitions, decisions, or even relationships.

Synonyms:

• Whisker (as in "by a whisker")
• Narrow margin
• Close call

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "By a hair" – similar to "hair's-breadth," it means something is very close.
  • Example: "He won the race by a hair."
• "Cut it close" – to leave very little space or time.
  • Example: "I cut it close getting to the meeting on time."

Summary:

In summary, "hair's-breadth" is a useful expression in English when you want to describe something that is very close or narrowly avoided.

Academic

Noun

1. a very small distance or space
   • they escaped by a hair's-breadth
   • they lost the election by a whisker

Synonyms

• hairsbreadth
• hair
• whisker