| 单词 | by one's fingertips |
| 释义 | > as lemmasby one's fingertips P3. figurative. by one's fingertips and variants: by a very narrow margin, barely, only just; used with reference to a situation in which a position is maintained only with great difficulty. Chiefly in to hang (also hold, cling, etc.) on (to something) by one's fingertips. Cf. by one's fingernails at fingernail n. Phrases 3. Cf. also by the skin of one's teeth at skin n. Phrases 7. ΚΠ 1916 Atchison (Kansas) Daily Globe 16 Aug. 7/2 The Blues lost and are now hanging on to first place by their finger tips. 1962 Sun (Baltimore) 20 Oct. 14/6 A throw-in in a 1956 trade with Boston, close to being cut in camp, unhappily hanging on by his fingertips, the St. Louis Hawk is now a big success. 1978 A. H. Chapman Treatm. Techniques Harry Stack Sullivan vi. 112 Patient: I feel that all the time I'm just holding on by my fingertips. 1996 S. Liversedge Not Just Another Club (1998) vi. 63 United's manager was ‘clinging by his finger-tips’ to the job. 2009 I. Pears Stone's Fall (2010) vi. 37 A few houses were owned by shopkeepers or clerks desperately clinging to respectability by their fingertips. < as lemmas |
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