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

"It can be a fine line, and that's one of the reasons why we need to look again at the policy and the legislation that sits around this because it places the police in an invidious position and, as we know, discretion and common sense don't always win out in these issues."

From BBC

Even the fact that the title joins Tony and Ziva with an ampersand and not an “and” indicates a certain lightness of tone, and when Tony, speaking of his company, says, “We try to walk that fine line between techno thriller and workplace comedy,” he is, of course, describing the very series he’s in.

From Los Angeles Times

Rubio’s first trip to Mexico as secretary of State has long been anticipated in the South American nation, where Sheinbaum has been walking a fine line.

From Los Angeles Times

Police departments have walked a fine line between being peacekeepers and crimefighters, a distinction that has been difficult to make at times amid controversial shootings and past enforcements.

From Los Angeles Times

Another CDC official said they’ve had to “walk a fine line” between protecting the public based on scientific evidence and aligning with HHS.

From Salon