[Idiom] BY THE SKIN OF TEETH. - Learn How to Escape Danger Narrowly with Engaging English Tips
By the skin of teeth.
/baɪ ðə skɪn əv tiθ/
Narrowly escaping from danger.
The expression "by the skin of one's teeth" paints quite the vivid picture, doesn't it? It's used to describe a situation where someone barely manages to avoid failure, harm, or disaster. Imagine this: you're sitting in an exam hall, time ticking loudly in your ears, and you manage to jot down the last answer just as the invigilator says "Pens down." That sigh of relief you breathe? That's you escaping by the skin of your teeth—by the narrowest margin possible. This idiom throws in a bit of humor too, considering teeth don’t literally have skin! It's a fantastical way to illustrate just how close someone came to not making it through.
Example Sentences
He escaped the accident by the skin of his teeth.
He narrowly avoided being involved in an accident.
She passed the exam by the skin of her teeth.
She just barely managed to score enough to pass her exam.
With only a minute to spare, he caught the flight by the skin of his teeth.
He barely made it onto the plane, arriving just before departure.