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Glite Dictionary
⚾ A runner out 🎯 A distant shot
pickoff

pickoff

8.8
A distant shot by a sniper that kills or wounds an enemy
  • noun
  • /ˈpɪkˌɔf/
  • Offensive
translation icon : disparo certero
  • A well-timed pickoff by the marksman changed the outcome of the battle.

Examples

  • The sniper made a perfect pickoff from his hidden position.

  • The soldiers moved cautiously to avoid becoming the next pickoff in the open field.

  • The team's morale dropped after the sudden pickoff of their best sniper during the mission.

  • Several pickoffs occurred during the operation last night.

  • A well-timed pickoff by the marksman changed the outcome of the battle.

  • The team lost confidence after the sudden pickoff of their top sharpshooter during the mission.

  • The soldiers advanced carefully to avoid becoming the next pickoff for the enemy sniper.

Synonyms

shooting
vspickoff
350 2.3

Firing a gun for practice or sport

refers to one narrow incident aimed to kill or wound from a distance

Surface Forms

pickoff singular
pickoffs plural

Morphology

pickoff = pick + off (semi-transparent) = pick + off

The noun is based on 'pick off', and the idea of taking someone out from a distance is recoverable, but the sniper/marksman sense is a specialized extension.

Etymology

Pickoff comes from the parts pick and off, where pick is 'to take' and off is 'away', like picking one fruit from a tree. That's why a pickoff in a battle or hunt means taking a single enemy or target from a distance.