Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom in the given sentence.

As the flood waters hit the coastal village, several families had a close shave.

a narrow escape

The correct answer is option 4- a narrow escape.

The phrase "had a close shave" is an idiomatic expression that means narrowly avoiding a dangerous or harmful situation. It's often used to describe a situation where someone is in peril but manages to escape harm just in time.