be within a whisker of (something)

be within a whisker of (something)

To be very close to getting, achieving, or experiencing something. She was within a whisker of the gold medal, but her leg cramped in the last few meters. Hundreds of people were within a whisker of death when their apartment building caught on fire in the middle of the night.

See also: of, whisker, within

be, come, etc. within a whisker of something/of doing something

(British English) almost do something: They came within a whisker of being killed.

See also: of, something, whisker, within