narrow escape

Idioms  

1. 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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Example Sentences

Narrow escape of losing your hair, young fellow.

From The Bag of Diamonds by Fenn, George Manville

"Narrow escape, dear child!" he observed, locking the window and drawing the shade.

From Bab: a Sub-Deb by Rinehart, Mary Roberts

Narrow escape from the floods of the river.

From Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2 by Mitchell, Thomas

Narrow escape, he'd had, from that lung-rotting gas.

From The Copper-Clad World by Vincent, Harl

Narrow escape from the floods of the river.

From Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2 by Mitchell, Thomas

Related Words

• close call
• shocker