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Synonyms

close shave

American  
[klohs] / kloʊs /

noun

Informal.

  1. a narrow escape from serious danger or trouble.

    We weren't hit when the truck swerved at us, but it was a close shave.
close shave British  
/ kləʊs /

noun

  1. informal a narrow escape

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
close shave Idioms  

  1. see close call.

Etymology

Origin of close shave

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dr Bennett jokes about close shaves when mortars landed within metres of where she was sleeping in Iraq.

From BBC

Scientists at Nasa say an equally strong storm was headed at Earth in 2012 and we had “a close shave just as perilous”.

From BBC

Kick-heavy tactics have brought some groans, close shaves against Samoa and Fiji have fuelled doubts, the loyalty to veteran performers hasn't always been popular in the stands.

From BBC

But their close shaves against Samoa and Wales, won by 13 and 11 points respectively, never teetered on the razor's edge so long and perilously.

From BBC

My mother also had a close shave with death.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.