Topic: ANIMALS
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| Date: | 1600-1700 |
| Origin: | whiskers 'mustache' (16-20 centuries), from whisker 'something that whisks or sweeps' (15-19 centuries), from whisk; because the mustache looks like a small brush |
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whis‧ker
[countable]
[countable]1HBA [usually plural] one of the long stiff hairs that grow near the mouth of a cat, mouse etc
2 [usually plural]DCB one of the hairs that grow on a man's face
3 to win or lose by a very small amount : Schmidt finished second, losing by a whisker in the final event.
win/lose by a whisker
informalSchmidt finished second, losing by a whisker in the final event.4 to almost succeed or fail at doing something : Doctors say he came within a whisker of dying on the operating table.
come within a whisker (of doing) something
Doctors say he came within a whisker of dying on the operating table.
