beat (one) to within an inch of (one's) life
beat (one) to within an inch of (one's) life
To physically attack one, as with punches and other blows, such that they suffer significant, life-threatening injury. This phrase can be used both literally and hyperbolically. Our neighbor is in the hospital because a burglar beat him to within an inch of his life. I'm worried that the captain of the football team will beat me to within an inch of my life if he finds out that I'm secretly seeing his girlfriend. If you ever scare me like that again, I'll beat you to within an inch of your life, I swear!
See also: beat, inch, life, of, within
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- beat the (living) daylights out of (one)
- beat the hell out of
- beat the hell out of (one)
- beat the tar out of
- beat/knock/kick the hell out of somebody/something
- beat/scare the daylights out of somebody
- kick the hell out of (one)
- knock the daylights out of
- knock the living daylights out of