失之交臂交臂失之shī zhī jiāo bìfail to meet sb by a narrow chance;just miss the person (/opportunity); let slip a good chance close at hand;lose sb (/sth) by a narrow margin; miss a friend at arm’s length
❍ 遇可事之主，而交臂失之，非丈夫也。(《三国演义》123) When one meets a worthy master and lets him go,one is a fool. 失之交臂miss by a split second; let sth slip through one’s fingers;just miss the person or opportunity;miss sth very desirable |