If you’re looking for an answer as to the origins of the phrase “by the skin of your teeth,” you won’t find it in an anatomy textbook. Instead, the answer lies in a different type of book: the Bible. We can trace the origins of this toothy phrase — defined by Merriam-Webster as “by a very narrow margin” — back to the 1500s.
One of the earliest English printings of this anatomically incorrect phrase — if not the earliest — can be found in the 1560 version of the Geneva Bible — a version that was popular among Protestants. More specifically, it’s found in Job 19:20 as a literal translation of the original Hebrew: “I haue escaped with the skinne of my tethe.” A 1599 version of the Geneva Bible reads, “I have escaped with the skin of my teeth,” demonstrating how the English language transitioned toward more modern spellings.
As common as the phrase has become, it’s not completely clear what the original intent was. Some theorize that the “skin” in question refers to gums, while others say it refers to the enamel coating on teeth. There are also Greek translations of the original Hebrew that imply it refers to the lips. But metaphorically, the biblical phrase is usually interpreted to suggest that Job barely escaped his trials and tribulations, which is similar to how we use the phrase today.
Because the Geneva Bible was used by so many prominent English speakers (including William Shakespeare), the phrase soon entered the collective lexicon. Copies of the Geneva Bible were brought to the Americas aboard the Mayflower, which may have contributed to how this phrase became so common in both British and American English.
More from our network
Word Smarts is part of Inbox Studio, which publishes content that uplifts, informs, and inspires.
