Understanding the Idiom: Within a Hair's Breadth

The question asks for the meaning of the idiom "within a hair's breadth" as used in the sentence, "She was within a hair's breadth of winning." Idioms are phrases where the meaning is not immediately obvious from the individual words. Let's break down this particular idiom and how it's used in the sentence.

Meaning of "Within a Hair's Breadth"

The phrase "a hair's breadth" literally refers to the width of a single strand of hair, which is extremely small. Therefore, "within a hair's breadth" means to be extremely close to something, by a very small distance or amount. It implies being very near to achieving something, or very near to something happening.

Analyzing the Sentence: "She was within a hair's breadth of winning."

In the context of winning, being "within a hair's breadth of winning" means she was very, very close to winning. She didn't quite win, but the difference between winning and her actual result was minimal.

Evaluating the Options

Let's look at the given options and see which one best fits the meaning of "within a hair's breadth" in this sentence:

• certain: This means she was sure to win. This is not correct, as the phrase implies she *almost* won, not that she was guaranteed to win.
• desirous: This means she wished to win. While she likely did wish to win, the idiom describes how close she came to winning, not her desire to do so.
• narrow margin: This refers to a small difference. If someone is "within a hair's breadth of winning," they are either winning by a very small amount or losing by a very small amount, meaning the result is decided by a very narrow margin. This fits the context perfectly.
• accomplished: This means she successfully won. This is incorrect, as the phrase implies she was very close *to* winning, suggesting she did not actually win.

Conclusion on the Idiom's Meaning

Based on the analysis, the most appropriate meaning of "within a hair's breadth" in the context of the sentence is being very close to winning, which is described as a "narrow margin".

Revision Table: Key Concepts

Additional Information: Related Idioms and Usage

Understanding idioms is crucial for improving language comprehension. "Within a hair's breadth" is similar in meaning to other phrases that describe being very close to an event or outcome:

• By a whisker
• Come close to
• On the verge of

These phrases all emphasize the minimal distance or difference between the current state and the potential outcome, often implying a near miss or a very close call.