narrow escape

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A barely successful flight from or avoidance of danger or trouble, as in He had a narrow escape, since the bullet came within inches of his head. This expression uses narrow in the sense of “barely sufficient.” [Late 1500s] For a newer synonym, see close call.

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QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

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Words nearby narrow escape

narrowband, narrow boat, narrow-bodied, narrowcast, narrow construction, narrow escape, narrow-fisted, narrow gauge, narrow-minded, narrows, narrow seas

How to use narrow escape in a sentence

What it endangers is a narrow conception of Russian power, understood through the eyes of its dictatorial leader.
Oliver Stone’s Latest Dictator Suckup|James Kirchick|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
After the captain made the call to abandon ship, 150 people were able to escape on lifeboats lowered by electronic arms.
‘We’re Going to Die’: Survivors Recount Greek Ferry Fire Horror|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The irony did not escape one local, Laith Hathim, as he stood and watched the newly minted refugees make their way into Mosul.
Has the Kurdish Victory at Sinjar Turned the Tide of ISIS War?|Niqash|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His harrowing escape from Vienna when Hitler took Austria in March 1938 is dramatically chronicled in his memoirs.
The Catholic Philosopher Who Took on Hitler|John Henry Crosby|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

This final episode of Extras is the perfect Christmastime escape for those who prefer the bittersweet to the saccharine.
The Top 10 Nontraditional Christmas TV Episodes|Jace Lacob|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"Capital, capital," his lordship would remark with great alacrity, when there was no other way of escape.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
The streets here are rather wide for an Italian city but would be deemed intolerably narrow in America.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
He is rather tall and narrow, and wears a long abb's coat reaching nearly down to his feet.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
As he was toiling slowly up a narrow, rocky pass, he suddenly saw an Indian's head peering over the ledge.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
Thinking to escape and summon assistance from the cantonment, Douglas mounted the wall and leaped into the moat.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy

narrow escape

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How to use narrow escape in a sentence