hairbreadth

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an extremely small distance, amount, or margin; literally, the width of a hair

   The blade missed his hand by a hairbreadth.

2. 2
   adj

   extremely narrow or close, with only a minute margin

   Lucy slipped through a hairbreadth gap at the tomb door.

A late Middle English compound of hair + breadth, originally a literal measure based on the width of a hair and soon extended figuratively to any minute distance or narrow margin. Historical spellings include hair's breadth and hairsbreadth.

Topics