/'wɪskə(r); [US] 'hwɪ-; `hwɪskɚ/
n
1 whiskers [pl] long hair growing on a man's face 络腮胡子; 连鬓胡子. Cf 参看 beard1 a, moustache 1.
2 [C] any of the long stiff hairs that grow near the mouth of a cat, rat, etc （猫、鼠等的）须. =>illus at App
1 见附录1插图, page iii.
3 (idm 习语) be the cat's whiskers/pyjamas => cat1. by a `whisker by a very small amount or margin 差一点儿
*She missed the first prize by a whisker. 她只差一点儿就能得到头奖了.

n[C]
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: whiskers 'mustache' (16-20 centuries), from whisker 'something that whisks or sweeps' (15-19 centuries), from whisk; because the mustache looks like a small brush]
[usually plural]
one of the long stiff hairs that grow near the mouth of a cat, mouse etc
[usually plural]
one of the hairs that grow on a man's face
win/lose by a whiskerinformal
to win or lose by a very small amount
　Schmidt finished second, losing by a whisker in the final event.
come within a whisker (of doing) sth
to almost succeed or fail at doing something
　Doctors say he came within a whisker of dying on the operating table.