to take potshots at
4
8.1
- phrasal verb
- Offensive
:
criticar a alguien
- They were only opportunists sent in to make things worse and take potshots at foreign coalition troops wherever possible.
- taking potshots at people
I think, you know, you hear people taking potshots at priests for being celibate or being pedophiles or being insane or whatever.
- I think, you know, you hear people taking potshots at priests for being celibate or being pedophiles or being insane or whatever.
Examples
-
In this blog, Terry will never miss an opportunity to assail political correctness or take potshots at the conventional foolishness.
Blog text (12) -
The Colonel put together a huge premiere in New York City, but when the movie opened, some film critics took potshots at my acting.
-
A lot of people are going to want to take potshots at you and so on.
-
Let him take potshots at me.
-
I have noticed that you like to parachute in and take potshots at others.
Blog text (5) -
If that happens, we'll have more than the occasional pirate gang lining up to take potshots at us.
Fiction book (1999) -
I guess the Governor will sit back and display his usual lack of leadership and take potshots at the implementation of Obamacare instead of working for a smooth transition.
Blog text (5) -
I'll admit I was wrong about the Ruby MySQL connector, but really I was just taking potshots at Jeff because it's fun.
Blog text (7) -
Menjabin takes potshots at gender self-consciousness and hypocrisy in a post-feminist world.
Fiction book (2001) -
Some bloggers love to take potshots at celebrities without any proof of their claims.
Synonyms
593
5.3
To criticize someone or something without a good reason
456
2.0
To make fun of someone in a mean way to show they are silly
156
3.5
To say mean things to someone again and again because they seem weaker
144
5.1
To say cruel things to make people think less of someone
108
4.6
To make someone look silly in a mean way so others laugh at them
80
2.9
Say something funny, often unkind, about someone or something
57
6.5
To say or do things to show you do not respect someone
25
3.9
To make jokes about someone to make them look silly
23
3.4
To make jokes about someone, sometimes to be playful and sometimes to be unkind
11
7.7
To criticize someone in a sly, indirect way
9
6.4
To make a short teasing or critical comment about someone
3
5.7
Keep finding small faults in someone or their ideas
1
9.1
To tease someone by making jokes about them in a friendly way
1
7.7
To say insulting things about someone to harm their reputation
1
6.7
To criticize someone or something strongly in public
To make a short indirect critical remark about someone
Laugh at someone or treat something serious as a joke
Tease someone by making jokes about them
Attack someone with strong words in public
Antonyms
How Harsh
1
8.0
26
7.8
- Offensive
27
5.5
- Offensive
4
8.1
701
3.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
If a learner knows the noun 'potshot' as 'a thoughtless attack or criticism', the verb 'take' plus the preposition 'at' composes straightforwardly to mean directing such attacks at someone. The pattern is grammatically regular (take X at Y = direct X toward Y) and aligns with cross-linguistic ways of expressing making casual criticisms, so the meaning is derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Take potshots at comes from shooting: a potshot was an easy, quick shot at an animal or target without careful aim. So, to take potshots at someone means to give quick, unfair 'criticisms' instead of fair, careful comments.