by the skin of your teeth
very narrowly, barely
In Spanish
very narrowly, barely
Examples
- We caught the last train by the skin of our teeth.
- She passed the exam by the skin of her teeth after studying all night.
- The team won the match by the skin of their teeth, with a last-minute goal.
When it's used
By the skin of your teeth is used in English to describe situations where something is achieved by a very narrow margin. It is more common in spoken language than in formal writing, often heard in informal and colloquial settings. It is not typically used in official or academic documents.
The common mistake
A common mistake is saying 'by the hair of the teeth' which is not English. This literal translation from Spanish does not convey the intended meaning in English. The idiom must be used as 'by the skin of your teeth' to be correct.
Related idioms
FROM WHAT YOU READ TO WHAT YOU SAY
Recognising it isn't the same as using it
Reading an idiom and understanding it is step one. Dropping it into a conversation, at the right moment, without stopping to think, is another — and that only comes from speaking.
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