by a hair

Idioms  

1. Also,. Very narrowly. For example, His serve was out by a hair, or We made our flight by a hairbreadth, or Dad missed hitting the pole by a whisker. The first two hyperboles for the very narrowest margin date from the 1300s and 1400s respectively; whisker meaning “a small amount” was first recorded in 1913. Also see by the skin of one's teeth; hang by a hair.

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Example Sentences

She’d missed the third reader by a hair and blamed Tansy.

From Literature

While Samson is not necessarily Kohli's heir, he had got India across the line by a hair's breadth in the manner of the India batting legend.

From BBC

Although revenue grew 2.5% to $2.56 billion, the number missed analysts’ calls for $2.57 billion by a hair.

From Barron's

He ducked and Irian sent another arrow, which missed by a hair’s breadth.

From Literature

The older man in sunglasses, Eldon Heller, 70, a retired contractor from Washougal, Wash., wins by a hair.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• barely
• comparatively
• practically
• rarely
• seldom
• simply
• somewhat