Narrow escape
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
Read Also:
- Narrowest
[nar-oh] /ˈnær oʊ/ adjective, narrower, narrowest. 1. of little breadth or width; not broad or wide; not as wide as usual or expected: a narrow path. 2. limited in extent or space; affording little room: narrow quarters. 3. limited in range or scope: a narrow sampling of public opinion. 4. lacking breadth of view or […]
- Narrow-fisted
[nar-oh-fis-tid] /ˈnær oʊˈfɪs tɪd/ adjective 1. .
- Narrow-gauge
noun 1. See under (def 13). [geyj] /geɪdʒ/ verb (used with object), gauged, gauging. 1. to determine the exact dimensions, capacity, quantity, or force of; measure. 2. to appraise, estimate, or judge. 3. to make conformable to a standard. 4. to mark or measure off; delineate. 5. to prepare or mix (plaster) with a definite […]
- Narrow-leaved bottle tree
[nar-oh-leevd] /ˈnær oʊˌlivd/ noun 1. See under . noun 1. any of several trees of the genus Brachychiton, native to Australia, characterized by a bottle-shaped swelling of the trunk, as B. rupestris (narrow-leaved bottle tree) or B. australis (broad-leaved bottle tree) noun 1. any of several Australian sterculiaceous trees of the genus Sterculia (or Brachychiton) […]
- Narrowing
[nar-oh] /ˈnær oʊ/ adjective, narrower, narrowest. 1. of little breadth or width; not broad or wide; not as wide as usual or expected: a narrow path. 2. limited in extent or space; affording little room: narrow quarters. 3. limited in range or scope: a narrow sampling of public opinion. 4. lacking breadth of view or […]