Definition
To perform a tedious task with extreme precision; to manage to find harmony or strike a balance between conflicting forces, interests, etc.
Origins
From the analogy of passing a thread through the eye of a needle, which requires great focus and precision to accomplish.
In Context
- "Were I writing for the Court, I would seek to thread the needle between acknowledging Principal Morse's authority, on the one hand, while respecting student Frederick's rights, on the other."
- "It was likely any resolution was going to seem like an anti-climax, and I thought this reveal threaded the needle quite well."