by a hair/whisker
by a hair/whisker - Very narrowly, by a very small distance or amount. For example, “He missed sideswiping that car by a hair,” or “That ball was in, but just by a whisker.” Both versions of this cliché allude to the fineness of a single hair. The first, also put as by a hairbreadth, dates from the fourteenth century, whereas the second originated in early twentieth-century America.
Synonyms
- By a nose
- By the skin of one’s teeth
- By a fraction
- A close shave
- Close call
Antonyms
- By a mile
- Safe and sound
- With room to spare
- Clearly
Humor-Filled Quotes
“You made it on time, but it seems like it was by the length of a cat’s whisker. Do cats even have whisker shortages?”
Related Expressions
- Close shave: Meaning narrowly avoiding a dangerous or unpleasant situation. “That was a close shave; you nearly missed the bus.”
- By the skin of one’s teeth: Meaning to just barely succeed or escape a difficult situation. “I passed the exam by the skin of my teeth.”
- Within an inch of: Almost very close to doing something but stopping just short. “The joker had us within an inch of laughing.”
Proverbs
- “A miss is as good as a mile”: Meaning even a narrow miss is as significant as a mile-wide miss.
- “Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades”: A humorous reminder that almost achieving something is not quite the same as actually achieving it.
Recommended Literature & Media
Books:
- The Book of General Ignorance by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson: A fun read that debunks many urban myths.
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon: A gripping novel that inches forward on suspenses and close calls.
Movies:
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Watch how many times Dr. Jones escapes danger by a whisker.
- Gravity: An edge-of-your-seat film where survival often hangs by a thread.
Songs:
- “Staying Alive” by Bee Gees: Because nothing says “narrow escape” like surviving on a disco inferno dance floor.
- “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor: When you’ve made it by just a hair, you’ll want to sing this at the top of your lungs.
Poetry:
- If by Rudyard Kipling: Celebrates enduring life’s trials—inches away from failure and persevering through them.
Farewell Thought: “Life’s greatest lessons often come from the times we succeed by nothing more than the width of a hair. Embrace these near-misses, for they shape the essence of resilience and determination.”
Penny Literate
