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Alina
“A hair's breadth”
Hello! I’m curious, is this idiom still commonly used in modern speech? Do you hear it often?
Sep 2, 2025 7:04 AM
Answers · 3
2
It's sometimes heard in poetic usage, for example on TV. But I'd be very surprised if someone said it to me in person. If they did, I would ask why they're speaking poetry.
Sep 2, 2025 8:35 AM
1
No, not often, but everybody has heard it and recognizes its meaning. There are many such expressions which, while not heard in everyday speech, are instantaneously recognizable to almost anyone:
"when pigs fly"
"at the drop of a hat"
"root and branch"
and thousands more.
Sep 3, 2025 10:42 AM
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Alina
Language Skills
English, French, Russian
Learning Language
English, French
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