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if you are successful but only by the skin of your teeth it means you barely did it. You can win a game by the skin of your teeth, pass an exam by the skin of your teeth or you can beat a red light by the skin of your teeth. You still win but only by the smallest of margins.
Just barely, very narrowly, as in Doug passed the exam by the skin of his teeth.
A related term appears in The Bible (Job 19:20), where Job says, "I am escaped with the skin of my teeth," presumably meaning he got away with nothing at all. Today the phrase using by is used most often to describe a narrow escape. [c. 1600]
If you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just manage to do it, and come very near indeed to failing.
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∙ 11y ago
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What is the meaning of the skin in her teeth?
I think you heard the idiom wrong. It should be "by the skin of her teeth," meaning that she barely succeeded.
Who invented the idiom as scarce as hens teeth?
An idiom is a rendition of a combination of words that have a figurative meaning. Most idioms have no clear "inventor".
What is the literal meaning of as rare as hens teeth?
This is not an idiom, so it means what it says. Something is as rare or hard to find as teeth on a female chicken (or any chicken) - chickens are birds, and do not have teeth.
Do teeth have skin?
Bite your finger really hard. If it doesn't hurt the answer is yes, your teeth have skin! If it hurts, then the answer is... well... no, your teeth don't really have skin on them. If you don't want to bite your finger, then you = smart 'cuz it'll hurt really bad, meaning there is absolutely no skin on your teeth at all.
What is the idiom meaning of to be?
"To be" is not an idiom - it's a verb.
What is the meaning of the idiom 'pest'?
Pest is not an idiom. It's a word.
What is the meaning of the idiom apple shiner idiom?
The idiom "apple shiner" means the teacher's pet.
What is the meaning by the skin of your teeth you won the game?
By the skin of one's teeth comes from a misquotation from the book of Job. He has lost everything, his friends and family have turned against him. "my bone cleaves to my skin and flesh and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth." A earlier translation says: " No bone hangs to my skin and the flesh and all I have is the skin around my teeth". This where is comes from but we now say that it means a 'close shave' or a win that wasn't a 'sure bet'.
What is the meaning of the idiom in pink health?
The meaning of the idiom in the pink of health means being in good health.
What is the meaning of the idiom has thin skin?
A person with thin skin is easily insulted, very sensitive , thinks every negative comment is aimed at him and takes every criticism in the worst way.
What is the three idiom for scrawny?
Skin and bones?
What is the history of the idiom 'jump out of your skin'?
The idiom, 'jump out of your skin,' was first seen in England in the 1800s. It refers to a person being so scared that they 'jump out of their skin,' by dying and becoming a ghost.
