come within an ace of

come within an ace of (something)

To almost get, achieve, or experience something. She came within an ace of the gold medal, but her leg cramped in the last few meters. Hundreds of people came within an ace of death when their apartment building caught on fire in the middle of the night.
See also: ace, come, of, within
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

come within an ace of something

to come very close to [doing] something. I came within an ace of leaving school. I'm glad you talked me out of it. Donna came within an ace of having an accident.
See also: ace, come, of, within
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • come within an ace of (something)
  • come within an ace of something
  • come within an inch of
  • come within an inch of (something)
  • come within an inch of doing
  • come within an inch of doing something
  • come within a whisker of (something)
  • come within a whisker of something
  • come within a hair of (someone or something)
  • come within a hair's breadth of (someone or something)
References in classic literature
It was Sir Madok de la Montaine, a burly great fellow whose chief distinc- tion was that he had come within an ace of sending Sir Launcelot down over his horse-tail once.
Connecticut Yankee