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Glite Dictionary
crap-shooter

crap-shooter

9.8
A person who throws dice to gamble in the game of craps
  • noun
  • /ˈkræpˌʃutər/
  • Jargon
translation icon : jugador de craps
  • "I figured you more for a crap shooter," I say.

Examples

  • Crap shooters go like that.

    The Black Cat (1941)

  • Hey, chief, you a lucky crap shooter?

    In Cold Blood (1967)

  • He has always been an excellent crap-shooter, winning most of the games he plays.

  • During our trip to Las Vegas, we met a skilled crap-shooter who taught us the rules.

  • The crap-shooter threw the dice confidently, hoping for a lucky roll to win back his money.

Synonyms

shooter
vscrap-shooter
  • US
6 6.7

A person who throws the dice in the game of craps

emphasizes gambling and play rather than only the act of throwing
crapshooter
vscrap-shooter
  • US
1 9.9

A person who plays the dice game craps to try to win money

is the hyphenated form used in some writings

How Serious

high roller
25 5.6
gambler
115 3.4
crap-shooter
  • Jargon
9.8
player
∞ 1.0
filthy casual
  • Offensive
9.9

Surface Forms

crap-shooter singular
crap-shooters plural

Morphology

crap-shooter = craps + shooter (semi-transparent) = crap + shoot + er

The meaning is a straightforward compound 'craps' + 'shooter' (a person who throws dice in the game), but spelling variation (crap vs craps) and the slang senses of 'crap' may confuse learners.

Etymology

Crap-shooter comes from the dice game craps, a name likely from French crapaud meaning 'toad' because early players crouched like toads, and shooter means 'one who throws'. So a crap-shooter is simply the person who throws the dice in the game.