hang by a thread

present singular third person hangs by a thread · participle present hanging by a thread · participle past hung by a thread · past hung by a thread · alternative hang on by a thread

1. idiomaticTo be in danger, calling for precise caution; to be in a precarious situation.

   A giant section of an Antarctic ice shelf is hanging by a thread and could break off at any moment, researchers have revealed.

   2017 June 2, Nicola Davis, “Giant Antarctic iceberg 'hanging by a thread', say scientists”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 16 Feb 2018

   2 more examples

   Life in the SCP universe continually hangs by a thread, threatened constantly by the existence of a number of dangerous and apocalyptic anomalies. These threats are countered and contained by the existence of organizations such as the SCP Foundation or the Global Occult Coalition.

   2019 January 14, “Exploring the SCP Foundation: SCP-2935 - O, Death” (0:07 from the start), in The Exploring Series, archived from the original on 25 Mar 2023

   Do you ever get a little bit tired of life / Like you're not really happy, but you don't wanna die / Like you're hanging by a thread, but you gotta survive / 'Cause you gotta survive

   2022 January 28, Em Beihold, Nick Lopez, Dru DeCaro, “Numb Little Bug”, in Egg in the Backseat, performed by Em Beihold

   Synonyms: hang by a hair