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close call
1. A narrow escape from or avoidance of a situation, often an unfavorable or dangerous one. It was a close call, but I managed to avoid hitting the deer that ran directly in front of my car.
2. 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.
3. 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.
close shave
A narrow escape from or avoidance of a situation, often an unfavorable or dangerous one. I had a close shave this morning when a tractor trailer unexpectedly swerved into my lane.
a close shave
and a close calla narrow escape. (See also .) Wow, that was a close shave. I thought the guard would spot us. The speeding car passed only a few inches from us—a real close call.
have a close shave
and have a close callFig. to have a narrow escape from something dangerous. What a close shave I had! I nearly fell off the roof when I was working there. I almost got struck by a speeding car. It was a close shave.
close call
1. a very difficult decision Apparently it was a close call, but after a long debate the jury convicted her.
2. something bad that almost happened close shave Sam had several close calls while he was learning to drive with his dad.
close shave
See: close calla close shave
a situation where something unpleasant or dangerous nearly happened I had a close shave when a tree fell just where I had been standing.
close call
Also,
close shave. Narrow escape, near miss. For example,
That skier just missed the tree-what a close call, or
That was a close shave, nearly leaving your passport behind. 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. (This latter usage replaced the much earlier equation of a
close shave with miserliness, based on the idea that a close shave by a barber meant one would not have to spend money on another shave quite so soon.) Also see
too close for comfort.
shave off
v.1. To cut something, especially hair, from the surface of the skin with a razor or shaver: I shaved my beard off. I shaved off the stubble.
2. To remove or eliminate something in thin strips or small amounts using a blade: The woodworker used a planer to shave off the bark. I opened the coconut and shaved some of the meat off with a knife.
3. To eliminate some small amount of a total: This aerodynamic racing suit will shave off a full second from your time. She shaved ten seconds off the school's 100-meter dash record.
4. To limit deliberately the number of points scored by one's own team in an athletic contest, as in return for a payment from gamblers to ensure winnings: The rest of the team was sure that he was missing shots on purpose in order to shave points off for his gambling buddies. The police are investigating her for shaving off points in the championship game.
close shave
and close call n. a narrow escape. The car passed this close to us—a real close call. Man, that was a close call!
close call
verbshave
tv. to reduce or lessen something. The coach thought that the other team was shaving points, so he complained the next day.
shaved
mod. alcohol intoxicated. So what if I’m a bit shaved? I shtill have all my shenses.