Hairbreadth

Pronunciation

• Canada IPA: /ˈhÉ›rËŒbrÉ›dθ/

Alternative forms

• hairsbreadth
• hair's breadth

Origin

From hair + breadth.

Full definition of hairbreadth

Noun

1. the width of a hair, a very short distance or a very small amount
• 1749: Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a FoundlingIn short, these kind of hairbreadth missings of happiness look like the insults of Fortune, who may be considered as thus playing tricks with us, and wantonly diverting herself at our expense.
• 1799: Charles Brockden Brown, Edgar HuntlyThis surely was a day destined to be signalized by hairbreadth escapes.
• 1856: Wilkie Collins, After DarkMeasure Maddalena, and measure Minerva, and from forehead to chin, you won't find a hairbreadth of difference between them.