| Subject | English | Russian |
| gen. | hang on a thread | держаться на ниточке |
| gen. | hang on a thread | висеть на волоске |
| idiom. | hang on by a thread | работать на последнем издыхании (It looks like the engine is hanging on by a thread. 4uzhoj) |
| idiom. | hang on by a thread | держаться на честном слове (It looks like the wire is hanging on by a thread, so I would plan on replacing it either way. 4uzhoj) |
| idiom. | hang on by a thread | висеть на волоске (4uzhoj) |