come within an inch of (something)

come within an inch of (something)

To almost get, achieve, or experience something. She came within an inch of the gold medal, but her leg cramped in the last few meters. Hundreds of people came within an inch of death when their apartment building caught on fire in the middle of the night.

See also: come, inch, of, within

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

come within an inch of someone or something

 and come within a hair('s breadth) of someone or something

to come very close to someone or something. The bullet came within an inch of Heather. The car came within a hair of the bus.

See also: come, inch, of, within

come within an inch of doing something

Fig. almost to do something; to come very close to doing something. I came within an inch of going into the army. I came within an inch of falling off the roof.

See also: come, inch, of, within

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

come within an inch of doing something

If you come within an inch of doing something, you very nearly do it. The company came within an inch of going bankrupt. Note: You can also say that you are within an inch of doing something. She had been within an inch of rejecting the idea altogether.

See also: come, inch, of, something, within

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012