To dodge a bullet
Meaning
To narrowly escape a dangerous, difficult, or undesirable situation or consequence.
Origin
The phrase "to dodge a bullet" comes straight from the visceral reality of combat, where escaping harm by mere inches can mean the difference between life and death. Imagine a soldier on the battlefield, the whizz of a rifle shot just missing their head, feeling the air disturbed by its passage. That precise, split-second evasion, whether intentional or purely by chance, became the ultimate metaphor for avoiding a grave danger or a terrible consequence. It vividly captures the sudden, terrifying proximity of disaster and the sheer relief of having just missed it, evolving from the literal field of battle into our everyday language to describe any fortunate escape from a difficult situation.
Examples
- Losing that job felt like a disaster at the time, but looking back, I really dodged a bullet, as the company went bankrupt months later.
- She thought she had to present the entire project herself, but the client cancelled, allowing her to dodge a bullet just hours before the deadline.