В-240

НА ВОЛОСОК (НА ВОЛОСКЕ, НА ВОЛОС obs) от чего PrepP these forms only subj-compl with copula ( subj: usu. human or collect prep obj: usu. от смерти, от гибели etc) usu. used with past verbs) one is very close (to death, ruin etc) (if used with a past-form verb, refers to danger or trouble that one has managed to avoid)

X был на волосок от Y-a - X was within a hairbreadth (a hairsbreadth etc, an inch, a whisker) of Y

X was a hairbreadth away (from Y) X escaped Y by a hairbreadth (by the skin of X% teeth) X was on the verge (of Y).

Ужасной была поездка в Москву по вызову Ярославского. Вот когда я была на волосок от самоубийства! (Гинзбург 1). The journey back to Moscow at Yaroslavsky's summons was terrible. I was within a hair's breadth of suicide (1a).

. ..Из парадного вынесли Ольгу, покрытую, как покойница, клеймёной больничной простынёй, и... Лёва, враз забыв обо всём, судорожно потянулся к сестре: «Олюшка, как же это ты?» ...Но (врач) взял актёра за пуговицу плаща: «Вам, милый, не следует здесь находиться. Вы сами на волосок от этого. Максимум покоя, минимум - эмоций» (Максимов 3). ...They carried Olga out of the main door, covered with a stenciled hospital sheet, as though she were dead....Lyova became oblivious of everything else and drifted after his sister, shaking convulsively. "Olga, little sister, what is happening to you?".. .(The doctor) took hold of the actor by a button on his raincoat. uYou shouldn't be here, my dear man. You're on the verge yourself. Maximum of quiet, minimum of excitement..." (3a).