hairsbreadth
C2literary, formal, occasional journalism
Definition
Meaning
An extremely small distance or margin; the width of a single hair.
A measurement of extremely small distance or degree; a very narrow margin of victory, success, or escape.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. Variant spellings exist: hairsbreadth, hair's breadth, hair breadth. The concept denotes an immeasurably small, yet perceptible, difference.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling 'hairsbreadth' (without apostrophe) is standard in both, but the forms 'hair's breadth' and 'hair breadth' are also commonly used in both varieties. No significant functional difference.
Connotations
Similar connotations of precision, danger, and narrowness in both dialects.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, slightly more likely in UK literary contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] escaped death by a hairsbreadth.It was a hairsbreadth [victory/decision].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “by a hairsbreadth”
- “within a hairsbreadth of”
- “a hairsbreadth away from disaster”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might describe a narrow profit margin or a close vote in a shareholder meeting.
Academic
Used in historical or literary analysis to describe close outcomes or precise measurements.
Everyday
Uncommon. Used for dramatic effect when describing a near miss.
Technical
Used metaphorically in fields like engineering or physics to describe negligible tolerances.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The driver made a hairsbreadth adjustment to avoid the cyclist.
- It was a hairsbreadth finish in the race.
American English
- The surgeon performed a hairsbreadth maneuver.
- He won by a hairsbreadth margin.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bullet missed him by a hairsbreadth.
- She won the election by a hairsbreadth.
- The jury's hairsbreadth decision hinged on a single piece of forensic evidence.
- The spacecraft's trajectory was corrected with hairsbreadth accuracy to enter the planet's orbit.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a single HAIR placed next to a RULER. The BREADTH (width) of that hair is the smallest distance you can easily see - a 'hairsbreadth'.
Conceptual Metaphor
DEGREE OF DIFFERENCE IS DISTANCE (A small difference is a small distance).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'волосок' (a single hair) which refers to the object, not the measurement. The concept is closer to 'на волосок' (idiom) or 'ничтожно малое расстояние'.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'hairsbread' or 'hairbreadh'. Using it as an adjective without a noun (e.g., 'The miss was hairsbreadth' is incorrect; should be 'The miss was by a hairsbreadth' or 'a hairsbreadth miss').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'hairsbreadth' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be written as one word ('hairsbreadth'), as a hyphenated compound ('hair's-breadth'), or as two words ('hair's breadth'). The one-word version is a standard dictionary entry.
Yes, attributively (before a noun), as in 'a hairsbreadth victory'. It is not used predicatively (after a verb like 'is' or 'seems').
They are very close synonyms in phrases like 'by a hairsbreadth/whisker'. 'Whisker' is slightly more informal and common in spoken British English.
No, it is a low-frequency word. It is used for dramatic or literary effect, often replaced in everyday speech by phrases like 'by a tiny bit' or 'really close'.