PhrasesHub

By the skin of your teeth

    Definitions

      • barely escaping danger or failure
        To describe a situation where someone narrowly avoids a negative outcome, often by a very small margin or amount

      • barely managing to accomplish something
        To describe a situation where someone barely achieves success or completion, often with great difficulty or effort

    Examples of By the skin of your teeth

    • After a long and grueling interview process, the candidate finally got the job offer, but only by the skin of their teeth.

      This idiom is used to describe a situation where someone barely succeeds or manages to achieve something. In this example, the candidate barely secured the job offer, as if they were hanging on by a thread.

    • The team barely made it past the quarterfinals, but they did it by the skin of their teeth.

      This idiom can also be used to describe a team's performance in a competition or game. In this example, the team won the quarterfinals in a very close and intense match, barely managing to come out on top.

    • The student passed the exam with flying colors, but her classmate barely passed by the skin of his teeth.

      This idiom can also be used to compare the performance of two people in a similar situation. In this example, the student's classmate barely managed to pass the exam, while the student excelled and aced it.

    • The patient underwent a complicated surgery and barely made it through by the skin of their teeth.

      This idiom can also be used to describe a person's health or survival in a critical situation. In this example, the patient's survival was uncertain during the surgery, but they managed to pull through by a slim margin.

    • The company barely made it through the economic downturn, but they did it by the skin of their teeth.

      This idiom can also be used to describe a company's financial performance during a recession or economic crisis. In this example, the company barely managed to stay afloat during the economic downturn, barely making ends meet.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "by the skin of your teeth" is often used in situations where someone has narrowly escaped a negative outcome or barely managed to achieve something. It emphasizes the idea of just barely making it through or accomplishing something, often with a sense of relief or surprise. This phrase can also be used to describe a close call or a near miss.

    This idiom can be used in various contexts, from describing a close call in a dangerous situation to a last-minute success in a project or task. It can also be used in a more literal sense to describe a situation where someone's teeth are the only thing keeping them from falling, such as while climbing a steep hill or hanging onto a ledge.

    Origin of "By the skin of your teeth"

    The origin of this idiom is not entirely clear, but it is believed to have originated from the Bible. In the book of Job, it is written, "My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth" (Job 19:20). This phrase has also been attributed to the Greek philosopher Plato, who used a similar expression in his work "The Republic."

    The use of this phrase in modern English dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to have evolved from the phrase "by the skin of one's teeth and gums," which was used to describe someone who was barely able to escape a dangerous situation. Over time, the phrase was shortened to its current form and became a commonly used idiom in English. Today, it is often used in both formal and informal contexts to describe a narrow escape or a close call.