whisker

1a :  a hair of the beardb whiskers plural (1) archaic :  mustache (2) :  the part of the beard growing on the sides of the face or on the chinc :  hairbreadth lost the race by a whisker

2 :  one of the long projecting hairs or bristles growing near the mouth of an animal (such as a cat or bird)

3 :  an outrigger extending on each side of the bowsprit to spread the jib and flying jib guys —usually used in plural

4a :  a shred or filament resembling a whiskerb :  a thin hairlike crystal (as of sapphire or copper) of exceptional mechanical strength used especially to reinforce composite structural material