by the skin of one's teeth
phrase
- (idiomatic) barely; closely; by a narrow margin; with nothing to spare.
Dictionary.com
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BY THE SKIN OF ONE'S TEETH Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
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 ...
Cambridge Dictionary
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BY THE SKIN OF YOUR TEETH definition | Cambridge English Dictionary
2 weeks ago - He escaped from the secret police by the skin of his teeth.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/english › saying: survived by the skin of their teeth
r/ENGLISH on Reddit: Saying: Survived by the skin of their teeth
February 24, 2024 -
We all know what this saying means: barely surviving. But it doesn't make sense _at all_. Teeth as we all know have no skin. Instead the saying should be "Hanged on with their teeth alone" or something to that effect. Meaning they survived by literally hanging on to something using their teeth.
If we acknowledge that this is what the saying means, what would be a good catchy alternative to the original?
Thanks!
Top answer 1 of 5
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The point is that any ‘skin’ teeth do have is so thin as to be indiscernible. Compare the biblical story of Job, who in the King James Version says ‘I escaped with the skin of my teeth’ meaning ‘I escaped with almost nothing’ If you’re unhappy with the four-hundred-year old set phrase, I suggest ‘hanging on by my fingernails’ as a more literal alternative.
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The idea is that the skin of teeth is so thin that you can't see or feel it (because in reality it doesn't exist), that to escape, it must have been by an imperceptibly thin margin.
By the skin of his tooth: gifs
Saying: Survived by the skin of their teeth
The point is that any ‘skin’ teeth do have is so thin as to be indiscernible. Compare the biblical story of Job, who in the King James Version says ‘I escaped with the skin of my teeth’ meaning ‘I escaped with almost nothing’ If you’re unhappy with the four-hundred-year old set phrase, I suggest ‘hanging on by my fingernails’ as a more literal alternative. More on reddit.com
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February 24, 2024"by the skin of my teeth" explanation
It looks like its an idiom that originates from the Bible. Job 19:20: "My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth." I couldn't find anything on what it means specifically. It might have to do with enamel. More on reddit.com
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November 23, 2018Surviving by the skin of my teeth. Banish vs Drytron.
and yes. I keep getting match with Drytron. It's exhausting at this point.
More on reddit.com 2
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February 4, 2019Videos
By the Skin of One’s Teeth #idioms#english#learnenglish ...
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Idiom Origins | By the Skin of Your Teeth - YouTube
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'By the Skin of One's Teeth' Explained | English Idiom Lesson - ...
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#shorts #short #shortvideo LEARN BRITISH IDIOMS - By the skin of ...
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By the skin of your teeth - Idiom Meaning and Examples || Popular ...
Quora
quora.com › What-does-by-the-skin-of-his-teeth-mean
What does 'by the skin of his teeth' mean? - Quora
Answer (1 of 2): It’s become a saying meaning “by very slim odds”. Generally the whole phrase is “escaped by the skin of his teeth”, which means you barely escaped a situation intact.
Drjrobb
drjrobb.com › blog › 477509-by-the-skin-of-your-teeth
By The Skin of Your Teeth
January 24, 2019 - By this point, Job has suffered through an illness that has left him very thin (skin and bones) but he expresses thanks that he has “escaped with the skin of my teeth”. So the phrase has come to mean barely avoiding something (usually something bad) or barely succeeding at something.
Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › by the skin of one's teeth
Synonyms of by the skin of one's teeth
by the skin of one's teeth · Definition of by the skin of one's teeth · as in slightly by a very small margin They won the contest by the skin of their teeth. Synonyms & Similar Words · Relevance · slightly · just · barely · narrowly ...
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Medium
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The Origin and Meaning of the Popular Idiom “by the skin of your teeth” | by LS Barnes | Writer | Educator | Digital Creator | Medium
March 15, 2023 - If you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just manage to do it. It’s unclear exactly where the phrase originated, but is believed to come from the book of Job in the Bible.
OWAD
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by the skin of one's teeth
ONE’S TEETH, barely, by a nose ... close for comfort — SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like: “He caught the train, but only BY THE SKIN OF HIS TEETH.“ ......
Tim Challies
challies.com › idioms › by-the-skin-of-my-teeth
By the Skin of My Teeth! | Tim Challies
September 11, 2016 - We use the expression “by the skin of my teeth” as a synonym for “barely” or “narrowly.” It is most commonly used to describe a closely-fought but narrow victory or a close but ultimately harmless encounter with danger.
GRAMMARIST
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By the Skin of My Teeth - Idiom, Origin & Meaning
September 17, 2024 - By the skin of his teeth, he avoided the falling tree branch.
Language Hat
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Skin of One’s Teeth. : languagehat.com
August 31, 2022 - To escape by the skin of one’s teeth is to narrowly avoid some hazard. It’s an idiom, which by definition makes no literal sense; teeth, of course, don’t have skin.
The Idioms
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by the skin of your teeth meaning, origin, example, sentence, history
We escaped the raging rioters by the skin of our teeth. Origin: This phrase first appeared in English in 1560 in the Geneva Bible, in Job 19:20. It provides a literal translation of the original Hebrew. Since teeth have no skin, the expression refers to the smallest possible measure. ... The origin of the phrase comes from Job who was afflicted with a skin disease on his entire body – except his gums.
Bible Hub
biblehub.com › job › 19-20.htm
Job 19:20 My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
Poem Analysis
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By the skin of your teeth - Meaning and Origin - Poem Analysis
January 3, 2024 - The idiom “By the skin of your teeth” is a way of saying that you only just got by. E.g. After a series of unforeseen obstacles, he managed to catch the last train by the skin of his teeth, narrowly avoiding a missed opportunity due to the ...
No Sweat Shakespeare
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'By The Skin Of My Teeth': Phrase Meaning & History✔️
July 26, 2025 - The idiom “by the skin of one’s teeth” is directly linked to the suffering of Job, a central figure in the Bible known for his immense suffering and unwavering faith. Job’s story is often referenced in discussions of endurance, perseverance, and the human condition.
Collins Dictionary
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BY THE SKIN OF YOUR TEETH definition in American English | Collins English Dictionary
If you do something by the skin of your teeth, you just manage to do it. He won, but only by the skin of his teeth.
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Thesaurus.com
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BY THE SKIN OF ONE'S TEETH Synonyms & Antonyms - 20 words | Thesaurus.com
Examples of Hebrew idiom that have become English via the Bible include: "to set one's teeth on edge", "by the skin of one's teeth", "the land of the living" and "from strength to strength".