- 1) "a close call"="something that nearly happened"
Originally Posted by Antonio
In this sense, it has to do with something bad that almost happened.
1) in sports, it means that a decision was made by a referee or referees about a "play" that was hard to make a decision about. Often such "close calls" are controversial.
GAntwortet mir bitte auf Deutsch! Ich schreibe nur auf Englisch, weil ich meine Gedanken so präziser ausdrücken kann. - 21st March 2005, 3:51 AM#3
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One correction, Antonio.
"A close call" can mean that something almost happened, but didn't quite, as in "Wow, that ball almost hit me" or "Wow, the teacher almost saw me sneak in late".
It can also mean that a result (of a race, for example) was uncertain. "Who came in first?" "I don't know, it was a close call."
Myla¡Escribo en español para que me corrijan! - 21st March 2005, 4:01 AM#4
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"A close call" has something to do, with something that happened bad or not necessarily?
Thanks in advance,
Antonio - 21st March 2005, 4:03 AM#5
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When it is not connected with sports, the second meaning I gave you, I can't even think of ONE example where it is about anything good. So I would say it has to do with soemthing bad that almost happened.
GAntwortet mir bitte auf Deutsch! Ich schreibe nur auf Englisch, weil ich meine Gedanken so präziser ausdrücken kann. - 21st March 2005, 4:04 AM#6
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In the sense of something that almost happened, yes, the "something" is generally bad. It's like "I escaped, but just barely!"¡Escribo en español para que me corrijan! - 21st March 2005, 4:05 AM#7
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Definition
close shave noun [C] (ALSO close call)
when you come extremely close to a dangerous or unpleasant situation or only just manage to avoid it:
I had a close shave this morning, - some idiot almost knocked me off my bike.
(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary) - 21st March 2005, 4:09 AM#8
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Not to be confused with a "near miss", the airline companies STUPID phrase for a "close call" when two planes almost collide!
<waving to Art>
GaerAntwortet mir bitte auf Deutsch! Ich schreibe nur auf Englisch, weil ich meine Gedanken so präziser ausdrücken kann. - 21st March 2005, 7:43 AM#9
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Ah no, it can be good, too.
Let's say you are on the game show Surviror and they are voting people off. If it comes down to a tie between you and another player, and then the other player gets voted off, you would say "Wow, that was a close call; I was almost forced to leave".
Let's say you fudge your taxes. A few months go by and you are not audited by the IRS. You would say that you had a very close call -- you were almost arrested.
If you want something not to happen, having a close call is good.Things are more like they are now than they ever were before. - 21st March 2005, 7:51 AM#10
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Right, and just think of the first Bush presidency, the election. What better example of a a "close call". It was good or bad according to who you voted for.
GaerAntwortet mir bitte auf Deutsch! Ich schreibe nur auf Englisch, weil ich meine Gedanken so präziser ausdrücken kann. - 21st March 2005, 9:31 AM#11
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These are good examples, but they're still examples of something bad almost happening, but then the outcome was good. To change it around, the person in your Survivor example that DID get voted off, couldn't really say, "That was a close call", but he/she could say "that was close". I thin "that was a close call" does always refer to something bad that almost happened.
Rob - 21st March 2005, 12:22 PM#12
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I think that "call" refers to God calling you to go up there with Him.
- 21st March 2005, 5:30 PM#13
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Hey Art;I think that "call" refers to God calling you to go up there with Him.
He...He..He...
If you have been in a car accident...or construction accident...yadda, yadda...
we say "Man! that was a close call..I almost bit it."...
te gatoFeel free to correct, but remember I speak Alberta English....
Cats are a mysterious kind of folk. There is more passing in their minds than we are aware of." - Sir Walter Scott
"Curiosity killed the cat, Satisfaction brought it back!" - English Proverb - 4th February 2010, 7:46 PM#14
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Hello all!
I'm going to re-open this thread because I have another question on the use of the expression in the object: close call.
I'm translating a series of comic strips, where there are two characters who are piloting a plane. They're flying in the back country and are looking for a place (a runway or an airstrip) to land".
Copilot: "I can’t believe they shut it down! Why is it still on the map?"
Pilot: "Relax, we’ll find another one."
Copilot: "Come on! We need to find a place to land quick!"
Pilot: "I know, I know! But there’s trees everywhere…"
Copilot: "This is going to be a CLOSE CALL."
Pilot: "Here!"
Copilot: "Finally!"
I understood from the previous posts that this idiom refers mostly to past events that almost happened but eventually didn't. In this case, how can the characters know whether it will or won't be a close call as it refers to something that has not yet happened?
Could the meaning here be "it will be tough, but we'll manage it?" or "I'm sure we'll manage it even if it will be by a narrow margin?"
Sorry for the silly question :-( and thanks for your help :-)
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2013년 7월 2일 화요일
Originally Posted by Antonio Hi Group, What does "A close call" means? And I have an example "Wow, that was a close call" 1) "a close call"="something that nearly happened" In this sense, it has to do with something bad that almost happened. 1) in sports, it means that a decision was made by a referee or referees about a "play" that was hard to make a decision about. Often such "close calls" are controversial. G Antwortet mir bitte auf Deutsch! Ich schreibe nur auf Englisch, weil ich meine Gedanken so präziser ausdrücken kann. Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 3:51 AM #3 mylam Senior Member Join Date Feb 2005 Location Texas Native language United States English Age 36 Posts 831 Originally Posted by Antonio Hi Group, What does "A close call" means? And I have an example "Wow, that was a close call" One correction, Antonio. "A close call" can mean that something almost happened, but didn't quite, as in "Wow, that ball almost hit me" or "Wow, the teacher almost saw me sneak in late". It can also mean that a result (of a race, for example) was uncertain. "Who came in first?" "I don't know, it was a close call." Myla ¡Escribo en español para que me corrijan! Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 4:01 AM #4 Antonio Senior Member Join Date Aug 2004 Location Monterrey Native language Mexico/Spanish Age 34 Posts 1,121 "A close call" has something to do, with something that happened bad or not necessarily? Thanks in advance, Antonio Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 4:03 AM #5 gaer Senior Member Join Date Dec 2004 Location Fort Lauderdale Native language US-English Posts 8,530 Originally Posted by Antonio "A close call" has something to do, with something that happened bad or not necessarily? When it is not connected with sports, the second meaning I gave you, I can't even think of ONE example where it is about anything good. So I would say it has to do with soemthing bad that almost happened. G Antwortet mir bitte auf Deutsch! Ich schreibe nur auf Englisch, weil ich meine Gedanken so präziser ausdrücken kann. Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 4:04 AM #6 mylam Senior Member Join Date Feb 2005 Location Texas Native language United States English Age 36 Posts 831 Originally Posted by Antonio "A close call" has something to do, with something that happened bad or not necessarily? In the sense of something that almost happened, yes, the "something" is generally bad. It's like "I escaped, but just barely!" ¡Escribo en español para que me corrijan! Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 4:05 AM #7 Artrella Banned Join Date Sep 2004 Location BA Native language ARGENTINA Sp/Eng Age 47 Posts 8,987 Originally Posted by Antonio "A close call" has something to do, with something that happened bad or not necessarily? Definition close shave noun [C] (ALSO close call) when you come extremely close to a dangerous or unpleasant situation or only just manage to avoid it: I had a close shave this morning, - some idiot almost knocked me off my bike. (from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary) Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 4:09 AM #8 gaer Senior Member Join Date Dec 2004 Location Fort Lauderdale Native language US-English Posts 8,530 Originally Posted by Artrella Definition close shave noun [C] (ALSO close call) when you come extremely close to a dangerous or unpleasant situation or only just manage to avoid it: I had a close shave this morning, - some idiot almost knocked me off my bike. (from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary) Not to be confused with a "near miss", the airline companies STUPID phrase for a "close call" when two planes almost collide! Gaer Antwortet mir bitte auf Deutsch! Ich schreibe nur auf Englisch, weil ich meine Gedanken so präziser ausdrücken kann. Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 7:43 AM #9 Nick Senior Member Join Date Dec 2004 Location Western USA Native language USA, English Posts 754 Originally Posted by gaer When it is not connected with sports, the second meaning I gave you, I can't even think of ONE example where it is about anything good. So I would say it has to do with soemthing bad that almost happened. Ah no, it can be good, too. Let's say you are on the game show Surviror and they are voting people off. If it comes down to a tie between you and another player, and then the other player gets voted off, you would say "Wow, that was a close call; I was almost forced to leave". Let's say you fudge your taxes. A few months go by and you are not audited by the IRS. You would say that you had a very close call -- you were almost arrested. If you want something not to happen, having a close call is good. Things are more like they are now than they ever were before. Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 7:51 AM #10 gaer Senior Member Join Date Dec 2004 Location Fort Lauderdale Native language US-English Posts 8,530 Originally Posted by Nick Ah no, it can be good, too. Let's say you are on the game show Surviror and they are voting people off. If it comes down to a tie between you and another player, and then the other player gets voted off, you would say "Wow, that was a close call; I was almost forced to leave". Let's say you fudge your taxes. A few months go by and you are not audited by the IRS. You would say that you had a very close call -- you were almost arrested. If you want something not to happen, having a close call is good. Right, and just think of the first Bush presidency, the election. What better example of a a "close call". It was good or bad according to who you voted for. Gaer Antwortet mir bitte auf Deutsch! Ich schreibe nur auf Englisch, weil ich meine Gedanken so präziser ausdrücken kann. Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 9:31 AM #11 mnzrob Senior Member Join Date Feb 2005 Location Denver, Colorado USA Native language Chicago English and German Age 33 Posts 205 Originally Posted by Nick Ah no, it can be good, too. Let's say you are on the game show Surviror and they are voting people off. If it comes down to a tie between you and another player, and then the other player gets voted off, you would say "Wow, that was a close call; I was almost forced to leave". Let's say you fudge your taxes. A few months go by and you are not audited by the IRS. You would say that you had a very close call -- you were almost arrested. If you want something not to happen, having a close call is good. These are good examples, but they're still examples of something bad almost happening, but then the outcome was good. To change it around, the person in your Survivor example that DID get voted off, couldn't really say, "That was a close call", but he/she could say "that was close". I thin "that was a close call" does always refer to something bad that almost happened. Rob Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 12:22 PM #12 Artrella Banned Join Date Sep 2004 Location BA Native language ARGENTINA Sp/Eng Age 47 Posts 8,987 I think that "call" refers to God calling you to go up there with Him. Reply With Quote 21st March 2005, 5:30 PM #13 te gato Senior Member Join Date Jan 2005 Location Calgary, Alberta Native language Alberta--TGE (te gato English) Posts 2,209 Originally Posted by Artrella I think that "call" refers to God calling you to go up there with Him. Hey Art; He...He..He... If you have been in a car accident...or construction accident...yadda, yadda... we say "Man! that was a close call..I almost bit it."... te gato Feel free to correct, but remember I speak Alberta English.... Cats are a mysterious kind of folk. There is more passing in their minds than we are aware of." - Sir Walter Scott "Curiosity killed the cat, Satisfaction brought it back!" - English Proverb Reply With Quote 4th February 2010, 7:46 PM #14 Kjka Senior Member Join Date Aug 2009 Location Ireland Native language Italian Posts 140 Hello all! I'm going to re-open this thread because I have another question on the use of the expression in the object: close call. I'm translating a series of comic strips, where there are two characters who are piloting a plane. They're flying in the back country and are looking for a place (a runway or an airstrip) to land". Copilot: "I can’t believe they shut it down! Why is it still on the map?" Pilot: "Relax, we’ll find another one." Copilot: "Come on! We need to find a place to land quick!" Pilot: "I know, I know! But there’s trees everywhere…" Copilot: "This is going to be a CLOSE CALL." Pilot: "Here!" Copilot: "Finally!" I understood from the previous posts that this idiom refers mostly to past events that almost happened but eventually didn't. In this case, how can the characters know whether it will or won't be a close call as it refers to something that has not yet happened? Could the meaning here be "it will be tough, but we'll manage it?" or "I'm sure we'll manage it even if it will be by a narrow margin?" Sorry for the silly question :-( and thanks for your help :-) Reply With Quote
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