One idea · 3 languages

“A close shave”in other languages

A narrow escape.

  • English
  • French
  • German
Behind the words

Same idea, different pictures

English and German measure the margin in hairs: a razor that came this close, and um ein Haar, by a hair. English also escapes by the skin of its teeth, from the Book of Job; teeth have no skin, so the margin is next to nothing.

French l'échapper belle is “to escape it nicely”, where belle means only just.

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