A close shave
Meaning
A narrow escape from a dangerous or difficult situation.
Origin
The phrase originates from the literal act of shaving very closely to the skin. Before safety razors, shaving with a straight razor was a precise and potentially perilous activity. A "close shave" meant getting almost all the stubble, but it also implied the razor came perilously close to nicking the skin. This literal meaning, where a blade could come very near to causing injury without actually doing so, eventually evolved into the figurative sense we use today, describing any narrow escape from danger, mirroring the careful, near-miss experience of a skilled barber.
Examples
- Driving home during the blizzard was a close shave; I almost slid off the road twice.
- The rock climber had a close shave when his rope almost snapped near the summit.