by the skin of teeth
by the skin of (one's) teeth
Barely. Often used to describe something that almost didn't happen. Oh man, my car wouldn't start this morning—I just made it here by the skin of my teeth!
See also: by, of, skin, teeth
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
by the skin of one's teeth
Fig. just barely. (By an amount equal to the thickness of the (imaginary) skin on one's teeth.) I got through calculus class by the skin of my teeth. I got to the airport a few minutes late and missed the plane by the skin of my teeth. Lloyd escaped from the burning building by the skin of his teeth.
See also: by, of, skin, teeth
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
by the skin of (one's) teeth
By the smallest margin.
See also: by, of, skin, teeth
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
- get one's teeth into (something), to
- bite on
- bite on (something or someone)
- bite on someone
- cast in (one's) teeth
- cast something in someone's teeth
- grit (one's) teeth
- grit one's teeth
- grit teeth
- grit your teeth