By the skin of your teeth means only just, by the smallest margin: I passed the driving test by the skin of my teeth. The margin is thinner than the skin on your teeth, which doesn't exist. It's used only for success: you made it, passed, escaped. If you failed, say something else.
When would you say by the skin of your teeth?
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succeed / pass / escape by the skin of my / your / his / her / our / their teeth
- I passed the driving test by the skin of my teeth.
- The team qualified by the skin of their teeth after a late goal.
- We caught the last ferry by the skin of our teeth.
What changed
First versionMaya passed by the skin of your teeth, with one point to spare.
RevisionMaya passed by the skin of her teeth, with one point to spare.
Dictionaries list the idiom with your, so learners copy it as it is: Maya passed by the skin of your teeth. But your changes with the person: my teeth, her teeth, our teeth. It's about Maya, so it's her.
In the nick of time means at the last moment, about time: we got there just before it closed. By the skin of your teeth works for any tiny margin, even points on a test. Barely passed is the neutral version for writing.
Your turn
Leo needed 60 points and scored exactly 60. He passed by the skin of ___ teeth.
Show the answer
his — Leo took the test, so it's his teeth. Your would refer to the person you're talking to.
Describe a time you made it or passed at the very last moment, using by the skin of my teeth.
We won by the skin of our teeth: the other team missed its final shot.
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