one in a thousand

one in a thousand

Exceptionally uncommon, unique, or excellent. Hyphenated if used before a noun. This is a one-in-a-thousand opportunity for us—we'd be fools not to seize it while we have the chance! My grandmother really was one in a thousand, and we're all very blessed to have had her in our lives.
See also: one, thousand
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

one in a thousand

 and one in a hundred; one in a million
Fig. nearly unique; one of a very few. He's a great guy. He's one in million. Mary's one in a hundredsuch a hard worker.
See also: one, thousand
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • eleventh hour
  • dooper
  • a round robin
  • round robin
  • wiggy
  • heads I win, tails you lose
  • black market
  • a light touch
  • cop on
  • first hand
References in classic literature
They set up for a lot of gamblers, and there ain't one in a thousand of them that's got the nerve to be a gambler.