within an inch of one's life

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA(key): /wɪðˌɪn ən ˈɪntʃ əv wʌnz ˈlaɪf/ Rhymes: -aɪf Hyphenation: with‧in an inch of one's life === Prepositional phrase === within an inch of one's life To a point where one is at great risk of death; or (figuratively, hyperbolic) of severe danger or trouble. Synonym: (obsolete) within an inch of one's skin (figuratively, hyperbolic) Almost as much as possible; to an extreme extent. ==== Translations ==== === See also === Thesaurus:difficult situation by a hair's breadth close shave === Further reading === “within an inch of one’s life (or †skin)” under “inch, n.1”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, December 2020. “within an inch of one’s life, phrase”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.