What does close call mean slang?
something bad that almost happened: The car just missed the child but it was a very close call.
What is an example of a close call?
Example sentences — I’ve never been married before but I had a close call when I was 21 and was dating a girl from Spain. — That was a really close call. If I hadn’t reached down to pick up my beer the baseball would have hit me in the face. — There have been a lot of close calls in this game.
What’s another way of saying close call?
In this page you can discover 13 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for close-call, like: close-shave, close squeeze, hairbreadth escape, heart stopper, narrow escape, narrow-squeak, near-miss, near squeak, near thing, squeaker and tight squeeze.
What is the meaning of idiom close with?
close with (someone or something) 1. verb To conclude something, usually an event or performance, with someone or something. For the talent show, let’s close with a choir performance. 2. adjective Having a very friendly relationship with someone.
Where did the phrase close call come from?
The first phrase (close call) dates from the late 1800s and comes from sports, alluding to an official’s decision ( call ) that could have gone either way. The second ( close shave), from the early 1800s, alludes to the narrow margin between closely shaved skin and a razor cut.
What means close shave?
a narrow escape from
Definition of close shave noun Informal. a narrow escape from serious danger or trouble: We weren’t hit when the truck swerved at us, but it was a close shave.
Where does close call come from?
Where did the term close call come from?
close call The first phrase dates from the late 1800s and comes from sports, alluding to an official’s decision ( call) that could have gone either way. The second, from the early 1800s, alludes to the narrow margin between closely shaved skin and a razor cut.
What does the idiom close shave mean?
Definition of close shave noun Informal. a narrow escape from serious danger or trouble: We weren’t hit when the truck swerved at us, but it was a close shave.
What is a tough call?
Noun. tough call (plural tough calls) (chiefly US, idiomatic) A choice or judgment which is difficult to make, especially one involving only two alternatives.
What means near miss?
Definition of near miss 1a : a miss (as with a bomb) close enough to cause damage. b : something that falls just short of success. 2a : a near collision (as between aircraft) b : close call.
What is a close decision?
A decision or judgment that is difficult to make due to each possibility being nearly equal in one’s consideration. I’m sorry, it really was a close call, but we’ve decided to go with another candidate for this position.
What is the meaning of idiom a white elephant?
a possession entailing great expense out of proportion to its usefulness or value to the owner: When he bought the mansion he didn’t know it was going to be such a white elephant.
What do you mean by cold calling?
Cold calling is the business practice of contacting a potential customer or client who has not expressed previous interest in speaking with a customer service representative or making a purchase.
What does it mean when someone says tough luck?
Definition of tough luck informal. —used in speech to show sympathy for someone who has failed or has been disappointed You lost your job? Oh, tough luck. —often used in an ironic way to show that one does not feel sympathy for someone “I need more time to finish the job.” “Tough luck.
close call/shave, a A narrow escape, a near miss. Both phrases are originally American. The first dates from the 1880s and is thought to come from sports, where a close call was a decision by an umpire or referee that could have gone either way.
What is a good sentence for close call?
A CLOSE CALL? 1. I bumped the paint can, and it almost tipped. That was a close call! 2. We had a close call last night. There was a big storm and lightning hit a tree beside our house.
What was a close call for residents?
It was a close call for residents when a tornado swept through just west of the town. Getting to the airport on time was a close call. Want to learn more? Improve your vocabulary with English Vocabulary in Use from Cambridge. Learn the words you need to communicate with confidence.
What does it mean when a contest is close?
A contest or competition whose winner is not clear due to very close competition or results that are difficult to distinguish. With the two candidates having nearly equal amounts of delegates, this election is going to be a very close call. See also: call, close