come within an inch of (something)
come within an inch of (something)
To almost get, achieve, or experience something. She came within an inch of the gold medal, but her leg cramped in the last few meters. Hundreds of people came within an inch of death when their apartment building caught on fire in the middle of the night.
See also: come, inch, of, within
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
come within an inch of someone or something
and come within a hair('s breadth) of someone or somethingto come very close to someone or something. The bullet came within an inch of Heather. The car came within a hair of the bus.
See also: come, inch, of, within
come within an inch of doing something
Fig. almost to do something; to come very close to doing something. I came within an inch of going into the army. I came within an inch of falling off the roof.
See also: come, inch, of, within
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
come within an inch of doing something
If you come within an inch of doing something, you very nearly do it. The company came within an inch of going bankrupt. Note: You can also say that you are within an inch of doing something. She had been within an inch of rejecting the idea altogether.
See also: come, inch, of, something, within
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
- come within an inch of
- come within an inch of doing
- come within an inch of doing something
- come within an ace of
- come within an ace of (something)
- come within an ace of something
- come within a whisker of (something)
- come within a whisker of something
- come within a hair of (someone or something)
- come within a hair's breadth of (someone or something)