fine line

American  

[fahyn lahyn] / ˈfaɪn ˈlaɪn /

noun

1. a small, barely perceptible difference.

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

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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.

Etymology

Origin of fine line

First recorded in 1845–50

Example Sentences

As to the famous fine line between stupid and clever, the stupidity and the cleverness are all but inextricable, and to the point.

From Los Angeles Times

Tina says there's also a fine line between refreshing and overdoing it as "very aggressive ice exposure can irritate sensitive skin or trigger rosacea, so keep it gentle".

From BBC

Olympic coach, John Wroblewski, tells her, “Find that fine line, don’t get in trouble, don’t do anything stupid.”

From The Wall Street Journal

There is a fine line between success and failure in winter sports, where a few millimetres when landing difficult tricks on snow can make the difference between a medal or serious injury.

From BBC

They had to play this really fine line.

From Los Angeles Times