a near miss

near miss

A situation in which danger or problems are barely avoided. Used literally, it usually refers to a potential collision of some kind. It was a near miss when that deer jumped out in front of my car! Luckily, I swerved in time and managed to avoid hitting it. It was a near miss for the senator, whose charges were dropped due to a technicality.
See also: miss, near
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a near ˈmiss

a situation in which an accident, usually involving two moving objects, is only just avoided: There was another near miss this afternoon just over Heathrow Airport when a jet nearly hit a small private plane. He drove like a maniac. We had one near miss after another.
See also: miss, near
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • take the Browns to the Super Bowl
  • Aztec two-step
  • Montezuma
  • Montezuma’s revenge
  • Montezuma's revenge
  • it ain't over till/until the fat lady sings
  • it ain't/it's not over till the fat lady sings
  • it isn't over till the fat lady sings
  • it isn't over till/until the fat lady sings
  • it isn't over until the fat lady sings