By a nose

Origin

This phrase gallops straight from the thrilling finish lines of 19th-century horse racing. In an era where photographic finishes were unknown, judges would literally have to lean in, straining their eyes, to determine the winner of a neck-and-neck race. Often, the only distinguishing feature crossing the finish line first was the very tip of a horse's nose, barely ahead of its competitor. This dramatic, split-second victory—decided by the smallest anatomical margin—quickly entered common parlance to describe any achievement won by the narrowest of chances.