あわや

adverb

nearly; almost; on the verge of

Used when something bad or dramatic almost happened but was narrowly avoided. Often followed by a phrase describing the averted outcome, such as ～ところだった.

• あわや大だい事じ故こになるところだった。

  It nearly turned into a major accident.

• あわや衝しょう突とつしそうになったが、間かん一いっ髪ぱつで避さけた。

  We almost collided, but avoided it by a hair's breadth.