Word: Hairsbreadth
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: Hairsbreadth refers to a very small distance or space. It is often used to describe situations where someone or something narrowly escapes a problem, danger, or defeat.
Usage Instructions: You can use "hairsbreadth" to describe a situation where the difference between success and failure is extremely small. It emphasizes how close something was to happening.
Example Sentence: - "The runner won the race by a hairsbreadth, just a fraction of a second ahead of his opponent."
Advanced Usage: In more advanced contexts, "hairsbreadth" can be used in discussions about risks or outcomes, especially in fields like finance, sports, or safety. For example, you might say, "The investment was saved by a hairsbreadth when the market rallied unexpectedly."
Word Variants: - "Hairsbreadth" can also be written as "hair's breadth," which is two words but has the same meaning. Both forms are acceptable.
Different Meaning:While "hairsbreadth" primarily refers to a small distance, in a figurative sense, it can also describe a very close call in terms of decisions or outcomes in life, like narrowly avoiding a mistake or problem.
Synonyms: - Whisker - Narrow margin - Close call - Slim chance
Idioms: - "By a hair's breadth" – This phrase means something happened with an extremely small margin. For example, "She passed the exam by a hair's breadth." - "By the skin of one's teeth" – Another way to say that someone barely succeeded or escaped a situation.
Phrasal Verbs:There are no direct phrasal verbs that use "hairsbreadth," but you might encounter phrases like "to scrape by" or "to get by," which convey a similar meaning of narrowly achieving something.