hairbreadth etymology

Etymology:

The word "hairbreadth" is derived from the Old English word "hærbræð", which means "a hair's breadth".

Meaning:

"Hairbreadth" means "a very small distance, especially a distance that is equal to the width of a single hair". It is used to describe something that is extremely close, narrow, or marginal.

Origin:

The concept of using "a hair's breadth" as a unit of measurement dates back to ancient times. In the Bible, for example, the Book of Judges refers to "a hairbreadth of land" (Judges 5:18). This suggests that the term was already in use by the early 1st millennium BC.

Over time, "hairbreadth" came to be used more figuratively to describe something that is extremely close or narrow. It is often used in idiomatic expressions such as "a hairbreadth escape" or "a hairbreadth away from disaster". These expressions convey the idea of a very small margin of error or a narrow escape from a dangerous situation.

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