fine line

[fahyn lahyn]

noun

1. a small, barely perceptible difference.

   There's often a fine line between helping and interfering.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fine line¹

First recorded in 1845–50

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. walk a fine line,

   1. to act carefully in order to avoid the wrong outcome or maintain a delicate balance.

      Moderators walk a fine line between censorship and protecting their site's users.

      I had to walk a fine line between maintaining the peace and doing my job.

   2. to act in a way that risks a disastrous outcome.

      You’re walking a fine line, buddy—if you don’t start watching your mouth, you’ll lose the respect of your kids.

Example Sentences

In my pursuit of the perfect photo, I tested them all and found that there’s a fine line between enhancing and going overboard.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He has walked such a fine line that in some cases both progressives and traditionalists within the Catholic Church have made the case that he supports their school of thought.

Read more on BBC

“There’s a fine line between what’s distasteful conduct and what’s criminal conduct,” Muller said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Voters have been lured with everything from television sets to bicycles and sometimes even gold ornaments - blurring the fine line between welfare economics and pre-poll populism.

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While patients may not mind if doctors amp up the tests and use high-tech diagnostics, there’s a fine line between doing enough for patients and doing too much.

Read more on Barron's