hairsbreadth

hairsbreadth
/hairz"bredth', -bretth', -breth'/, n.
1. a very small space or distance: We escaped an accident by a hairsbreadth.
adj.
2. extremely narrow or close.
Also, hair's-breadth, hairbreadth.
[1575-85]

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • hairsbreadth — or hair s breadth [herz′bredth΄] n., adj. HAIRBREADTH …   English World dictionary

  • hairsbreadth — hairs|breadth [ herz,bredθ ] noun singular the smallest possible distance, amount, or degree: The car only missed us by a hairsbreadth. We were a hairsbreadth away from winning a fortune …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • hairsbreadth — Hairbreadth Hair breadth ( br[e^]dth), Hair s breadth Hair s breadth (h[^a]rz ). The diameter or breadth of a hair; a very small distance; sometimes, definitely, the forty eighth part of an inch. [Also spelled {hairsbreadth}.] [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hairsbreadth — noun a very small distance or space they escaped by a hair s breadth they lost the election by a whisker • Syn: ↑hair s breadth, ↑hair, ↑whisker • Hypernyms: ↑small indefinite quantity, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • hairsbreadth — noun see hairbreadth I …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • hairsbreadth — noun /ˈhɛrzbrɛdθ,ˈhɛərzbrɛdθ/ a very short distance or a very small amount (as is the width of a hair) I see you are obsequious in your love, and I profess requital to a hairs breadth; …   Wiktionary

  • hairsbreadth — n. extremely small space …   English contemporary dictionary

  • hairsbreadth — hairs•breadth or hair s breadth [[t]ˈhɛərzˌbrɛdθ, ˌbrɛtθ, ˌbrɛθ[/t]] n. adj. hairbreadth • Etymology: 1575–85 …   From formal English to slang

  • be a hairsbreadth from — be extremely close to …   English contemporary dictionary

  • hairbreadth — n. hairsbreadth, very small distance adj. hairsbreadth, extremely narrow …   English contemporary dictionary

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