Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
crap shooting

crap shooting

8.1
Playing a gambling game with dice called craps
  • noun
  • /kræp ˈʃuːtɪŋ/
  • Jargon
translation icon : jugar a craps
  • Many people believe crap shooting is all about luck rather than skill.

Examples

  • He spent the entire night crap shooting in the casino with his friends.

  • There are strict rules against crap shooting in some establishments.

  • They enjoy crap shooting every weekend.

  • Have you ever tried crap shooting?

  • He spent the entire night crap shooting at the casino with his friends.

  • Many gamblers think crap shooting involves more luck than strategy.

  • Every Friday night, they gather to enjoy crap shooting together.

Synonyms

crap game
vscrap shooting
  • Informal
3 8.0

A small group that plays the dice game craps for money

describes the action of playing rather than a single session
craps
vscrap shooting
1 8.5

A gambling game played with two dice in which players bet on the numbers they roll

refers to the act of playing the game rather than the game itself

Surface Forms

crap shooting singular
crap shootings plural

Morphology

crap + shoot

The phrase is compositionally built from 'crap' (the dice game, often seen as 'craps') + 'shooting' (from 'shoot' = to throw dice), so a learner who knows those specific senses could infer it means playing the dice game. However, 'crap' is ambiguous for learners (common meaning 'rubbish') and the use of 'shoot' to mean 'throw dice' is somewhat culture-specific, so the connection is not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Crap shooting comes from the dice game craps, where a player shoots the dice by throwing them across the table in one quick move. So today crap shooting means 'playing craps' or 'gambling by throwing dice'.