Phrase guide

by a hair's breadth

prep_phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

By a narrow margin.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

See hair's breadth.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: karvan verran — by a narrow margin
  • French: à deux doigts — by a narrow margin
  • French: à un cheveu — by a narrow margin
  • French: à un poil — by a narrow margin
  • German: um ein Haar — by a narrow margin
  • German: um Haaresbreite — by a narrow margin
  • Hindi: बाल-बाल (bāl-bāl) — by a narrow margin
  • Hungarian: egy hajszállal — by a narrow margin
  • Irish: idir cleith agus ursain — by a narrow margin
  • Luxembourgish: op en Hoer — by a narrow margin
  • Polish: o włos — by a narrow margin
  • Portuguese: por um fio — by a narrow margin
  • Portuguese: por um triz — by a narrow margin
  • Spanish: por un pelo — by a narrow margin
  • Sranan Tongo: ete wan ingiwiwiri — by a narrow margin
  • Swedish: med en hårsmån — by a narrow margin
  • Tamil: நூலிழையில் (nūliḻaiyil) — by a narrow margin
  • Tamil: மயிரிழையில் (mayiriḻaiyil) — by a narrow margin