Hang by a thread
Meaning
To be in an extremely precarious or dangerous situation where the slightest thing could lead to disaster.
Origin
This phrase famously originates from the ancient Greek legend of Damocles, a sycophantic courtier of Dionysius II, the tyrannical ruler of Syracuse. Damocles endlessly praised the king's fortune and power, so Dionysius, annoyed, offered to let Damocles experience a day as a monarch. During a lavish banquet, Damocles sat on the throne, surrounded by luxury, only to look up and see a massive, sharp sword suspended directly over his head, held by a single horsehair. The imminent, constant threat of the sword, despite the apparent opulence, vividly demonstrated the precarious and dangerous nature of power and fortune, giving us this enduring metaphor for extreme peril.
Examples
- After the company lost its biggest client, its survival began to hang by a thread.
- With the patient's vitals fluctuating wildly, his life was quite literally hanging by a thread.