What does ‘by the skin of your teeth’ mean?
To “by the skin of your teeth” means to only just; narrowly. From the Book of Job (19:20). Brewer's includes it among the biblical phrases in common English use.
Origin
- From the Book of Job (19:20). Brewer's includes it among the biblical phrases in common English use.
How to use it
- Used of narrow escapes.
- Example: We caught the flight by the skin of our teeth.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.