close call

[keannu]

Is a risky moment avoided called "close call"? Is it common? And what do you think "call" in there means?

A: Watch out, Derek!
B: Whoa, that baseball almost hit my head
A: Yes, it was a really close call.
B: Thanks for warning me.

[bhaisahab]

Is a risky moment avoided called "close call"? Yes. Is it common? Yes. And what do you think "call" in there means? In BrE "a close shave" is more common. Can you imagine better the meaning of that?

A: Watch out, Derek!
B: Whoa, that baseball almost hit my head
A: Yes, it was a really close call.
B: Thanks for warning me.

Bhai.

[SoothingDave]

I'm pretty sure it comes from sports. Think of baseball. A runner is "out" if the fielding team can throw the ball to the baseman before the runner touched the base with his foot. The umpire must make a "call" of safe or out. Often these events (ball in glove vs. foot on base) happen very near in time to each other. Those situations are a "close call."

By extension, something that very nearly happened the other way (like almost getting hit in the head, in your example) is a close call.

[keannu]

I'm pretty sure it comes from sports. Think of baseball. A runner is "out" if the fielding team can throw the ball to the baseman before the runner touched the base with his foot. The umpire must make a "call" of safe or out. Often these events (ball in glove vs. foot on base) happen very near in time to each other. Those situations are a "close call."

By extension, something that very nearly happened the other way (like almost getting hit in the head, in your example) is a close call.

I'm sorry I couldn't understand this part. I understand the umpire must call either safe or out and how is that related to this idiom? Sorry!

Often these events (ball in glove vs. foot on base) happen very near in time to each other

[SoothingDave]

He makes the call. But it was "close." Say the runner is out. He was maybe 0.25 seconds away from being safe. It's very close. It's a close call. The runner was out, but he was very nearly safe.

[keannu]

Thanks a million for your kindness and patience!!!