split hairs Definition

hair
noun

1. Each of many long thread-like structures that grow from follicles beneath the skin of animals.
2. A mass or growth of such strands, especially on a person's head.

Thesaurus: locks, tresses, mane, mop, shock.
3. A fabric made from such strands.
4. bot.
Any thread-like cell growing from the surface of a plant.
5. A hair's-breadth.

Example: she won by a hair
6. A locking spring or other safety mechanism on a firearm.

Derivative: hairless
adj

Derivative: hairlessness
noun

Derivative: hairlike
adj

Derivative: hairy

See separate entry.

Idiom: get in someone's hair

colloq
To annoy them incessantly.
Thesaurus: irritate, annoy, disturb, bother, bug (slang).

Idiom: a hair of the dog (that bit one)

colloq
An alcoholic drink taken as a cure for a hangover.

Idiom: by the short hairs

In a powerless situation or at someone's mercy.

Idiom: keep your hair on!

colloq
Keep calm and don't get angry.

Idiom: let one's hair down

colloq
To enjoy oneself or behave without restraint.

Idiom: make someone's hair curl

colloq
To shock them.

Idiom: make someone's hair stand on end

colloq
To frighten them.
Thesaurus: frighten, terrify, scare, horrify.

Idiom: not turn a hair

To remain calm and show no surprise, anger, etc.

Idiom: split hairs

To make unnecessary petty distinctions or quibbles.
Thesaurus: quibble, cavil, nag, nit-pick, pettifog.

Idiom: tear one's hair out

To show extreme irritation or anxiety.

Idiom: to a hair

Exactly.
Thesaurus: precisely, perfectly, exactly.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon hær.

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split
verb split, splitting

tr & intr
1. To divide or break or cause to divide or break apart or into, usually two, pieces, especially lengthways.

Thesaurus: cut, divide, rend, cleave, splinter, break, burst.
2. To divide or share, money, etc.
tr & intr
3a. To divide or separate into smaller amounts, groups, parts, etc;

Form: split up (also)
tr & intr
3b. To divide or separate or cause to divide or separate, eg because of disagreement, disharmony, etc. See also split-up.

Example: European policy split the party
Example: split up with his boyfriend
Form: split up (also)
intr
4. colloq
To go away or leave.
Example: Let's split and go back for a smoke
5. Said of a ship: to be wrecked.

noun

1a. An act or the process of separating or dividing;
1b. A division, especially of money, etc.

Example: a two-way split on the Lottery winnings
2. A lengthways break or crack.

Thesaurus: crack, fissure, rent, breach, cleft, gap, rift, slash, slit, tear.
3. A separation or division through disagreement.

Thesaurus: separation, severance, breaking up, disruption, rift, dissension, estrangement, divergence.
4. A dessert that consists of fruit, especially a banana, sliced open and topped with cream and/or ice-cream, sauce, nuts, etc.
5. An acrobatic leap or drop to the floor so that the legs form a straight line and each leg is at right angles to the torso.

Form: the splits

adj

1. Divided, especially in two.

Derivative: splitter
noun

Derivative: splitting

See separate entry.

Idiom: split the difference

Said of two people, groups, parties, etc: to come to a compromise where each makes an equal concession.

To divide a remaining amount equally.

Idiom: split hairs

To make or argue about fine and trivial distinctions.

Idiom: split one's sides

colloq
To laugh uncontrollably.

Etymology: 16c: from Dutch splitten to cleave.

Phrasal Verb: split away or split off

To separate from or break away from; to diverge.
Example: split away from the rest of the group and found a short cut
Example: The road splits off to the right

Phrasal Verb: split on someone

To inform on them, especially to someone in authority.