1. a situation where something very unpleasant or dangerous nearly happened.

We managed to get out of the car before it caught fire, but we had a very close call.

The business survived, but it was a close call.

2. if a competition or an election is going to be a close call, more than one person has a good chance of winning.

It's going to be a close call. The vote could go either way.

• them and us
• the man in the street
• the man of dreams
• the man of the moment
• the man of your dreams
• the man on the Clapham omnibus
• the man on the street
• the matter in hand
• the meat and potatoes
• the men in grey suits
• the men in white coats
• the Midas touch
• the middle ground
• the milk of human kindness
• the mind boggles
• the mind boggles.
• the minute
• the minute back is turned
• the minute someone's back is turned
• the minute that
• the missionary position
• the moment of truth
• the more one thing happens the more
• the more one thing happens the more another thing happens
• the more the merrier