By the skin of your teeth

Meaning

The idiom "by the skin of your teeth" means to escape from danger or a difficult situation by a narrow margin or just in time, often due to luck or chance. It is also used to describe someone who manages to achieve something with only minimal effort or skill.

Usage

• I almost missed my flight, but I made it by the skin of my teeth.
• The company barely managed to survive the economic crisis by the skin of their teeth.
• She finished her project just in time and by the skin of her teeth.
• The athlete won the competition by a hair's breadth, but he didn't have enough skill to do it on his own.
• We were able to avoid the car accident thanks to the quick reflexes of our driver. The usage of this idiom can vary depending on the context. For example, it can be used in a serious or humorous way. It can also be used to describe a situation that required quick thinking or action.

Roots and History

The earliest known use of this idiom is from the Old English language, where it was written as "by skinnes teot." The meaning of the idiom has remained relatively consistent over time, although its usage may have varied depending on the context.

Synonyms in English

• Barely escaped/survived
• Made it by a hair's breadth
• Narrowly avoided/escaped
• Barely managed
• Just in time

Synonyms in other languages

• Español: por la piel
• Français: par la bouche
• Deutsch: durch den Rachen
• Italiano: per il pelame
• Japanese: 緊張している (jouga shite iru)

Similar Idioms

• blow hot and cold

• broken heart

• butterflies in stomach