long shot
14
4.6
- noun
- /lɔŋ ʃɑt/
- Informal
:
candidato poco probable
- I knew it was a long shot.
- considered a long shot
- bet on a long shot
- long-shot candidate
And that's how you've seen Haley emerge as a long shot but potential unseater of Trump.
- And that's how you've seen Haley emerge as a long shot but potential unseater of Trump.
Examples
-
You are not fired, not by a long shot.
-
It's a long shot, but not outside the realm of possibility.
Blog text (28) -
Finding life on Mars or anywhere else in the universe was a long shot.
Fiction book (1998) -
If the teachers win, which is a long shot, the children of Chicago might get smaller classes and a better curriculum.
Blog text (28) -
I think a Fabio win would be a long shot.
Blog text (6) -
Certainly a long shot to unseat Google, but at least a worthy alternative.
Blog text (6) -
Now, we all know we're a long shot for a medal, but we don't want to get embarrassed either.
-
My nominee for mid-season MVP, by a long shot, is the entire O-line.
Blog text (11) -
He supports Vasquez and the farm workers, and he's better than Dillworthy by a long shot.
-
Despite being a newcomer, she is seen as a long shot to win the competition against seasoned players.
Synonyms
73
3.7
A person or team expected to lose a competition
10
3.4
A very small possibility that something will happen
8
4.1
A competitor who is not expected to win a race or contest
1
9.8
A person expected to lose who wins against the odds
Antonyms
How Likely
77
2.4
- US
165
1.9
152
3.5
73
3.7
- Informal
14
4.6
10
3.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun 'shot' can be understood as an attempt and 'long' typically denotes distance or duration; together they form a metaphor (a shot taken from far away is unlikely to succeed) so the basic idea of an attempt is derivable but the specific nuance of low probability is metaphorical. A B1 learner who knows both words might guess it relates to an attempt but may not reliably infer the 'unlikely' component without prior exposure, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The noun long shot comes from horse racing. A horse that started far from the finish ran a long distance and had very little 'chance', or 'shot', of winning, so people now call someone or something 'unlikely to succeed' a long shot.