target of opportunity
3
7.4
- noun
- Jargon
:
objetivo de oportunidad
- For the Shining Path, which is the major force of the two and believed responsible for over 80% of all guerrilla incidents, the Upper Huallaga Valley has proved to be a significant target of opportunity.
Examples
-
They have become the primary targets of opportunity.
Blog text (23) -
Start lasing targets of opportunity.
-
There was a special name for this; it was called a "target of opportunity."
Academic text (1999) -
These are the very animals that are most critical for the recovery of the population, and they are also the easiest targets of opportunity.
Academic text (2000) -
"Gentlemen," he said, "we're here tonight to consider a target of opportunity: InGen."
Fiction book (1990) -
" They were interesting enough for a drive-by shooting, but we planned to stop only if we saw interesting rocks, targets of opportunity in the ejecta, or if imaging the wall could tell us anything new. "
Blog text (4) -
We believe that much more attention needs to be paid to free rider issues, both to obtain better estimates of the costs per kWh saved by utility programs and, more importantly, to provide necessary information for identifying targets of opportunity and for designing the programs so that they ameliorate underlying market imperfections at least cost.
Academic text (1992) -
For example, they relied heavily on intercepts from satellite phones to identify high-value targets of opportunity, according to a Human Rights Watch report, even though the technology used for tracking the coordinates associated with these phones was known to be inaccurate and they lacked the time and the human intelligence to either corroborate their targets' positions or estimate the likely collateral damage.
Academic text (2006) -
The analyst identified a potential target of opportunity in the emerging market that could yield high returns.
-
During the meeting, they discussed how the new project could become a target of opportunity for future investment.
Surface Forms
Morphology
target + of + opportunity
The meaning is directly derivable from the constituent words: a 'target' (thing or person aimed at) that is available because of an 'opportunity' — i.e., a target that presents itself. This composition (NOUN + of + NOUN indicating a target characterized by an opportunity) follows common, transparent patterns and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows the component words.
Etymology
Target of opportunity comes from a simple image: an object or person that appears by chance and is easy to act on, like an enemy vehicle suddenly coming into view. Because it was not planned, the target gives an unexpected opportunity to act, so today the phrase means a person or thing that is 'not planned' but can be taken advantage of or acted on.