Possible Clues:

• Near thing to hang up
• Reason to say 'Whew!'
• Ring off and have a lucky escape
• It's almost disastrous not to have trunks for this, perhaps
• Narrow escape that may be disputed in court
• Narrow squeak
• A far cry, however, from a safe situation
• Hang up, and have lucky escape
• No need for trunks for this on 8 down (5, 4)
• No trunk needed for this narrow escape