hairsbreadth
[ hairz-bredth, -bretth, -breth ]
/ ˈhɛərzˌbrɛdθ, -ˌbrɛtθ, -ˌbrɛθ /
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noun
a very small space or distance: We escaped an accident by a hairsbreadth.
adjective
extremely narrow or close.
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Also hair's-breadth, hairbreadth.
Origin of hairsbreadth
First recorded in 1575–85
Words nearby hairsbreadth
hairpin, hair-raiser, hair-raising, hair restorer, hair root, hairsbreadth, hair seal, hair sheep, hair shirt, hair slide, hair space
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use hairsbreadth in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for hairsbreadth
hair's-breadth
noun
- a very short or imperceptible margin or distance
- (as modifier)a hair's-breadth escape
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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