a near thing

Meaning

1. a situation in which you are successful, but which could also have ended badly

   Phew! That was a near thing! It could have been a disaster.

In the movies · 2

• All right, I'll meet you at the place near the thing where we went that time.Broadcast News1987
• We do not know what will happen if we let it near this thing!Transformers2007

From the same entry

• your nearest and dearest
• to the nearest
• as near as
• as near as damn it
• near enough
• not anywhere near near
• so near and yet so far
• pretty much
• at hand
• close to heart
• be close to the mark