Definition of long shot in English:
long shot
noun
A venture or guess that has only the slightest chance of succeeding or being accurate.
‘it's a long shot, but well worth trying’- ‘I thought I'd call the police station, just on the off chance, the long shot that it had turned up.’
- ‘Though not impossible, attempting to obtain permission for residential use would be a long shot.’
- ‘It's still a long shot but increased exposure is building up experience and the chances are shortening.’
- ‘Few companies would willingly gamble billions on a long shot.’
- ‘Despite these advantages, many analysts and rivals consider Correnti's effort a long shot.’
- ‘It was a long shot, but it seemed to be my best chance at survival.’
- ‘Laura's only chance was to appeal immediately, a long shot when a tenant has already been evicted.’
- ‘It is a long shot to get into these big-name schools.’
- ‘‘It was such a long shot, and everyone was telling me that,’ she says.’
- ‘She is considered a long shot to win the Academy Award.’
- ‘It was always going to be a long shot, getting tickets this late in the day.’
- ‘It was a long shot, but ABC listeners turned up seven big bells.’
- ‘It's a long shot, but in racing anything can happen.’
- ‘I know this is a long shot but if the thieves are reading this, I would ask you to please return the photographs and personal items to us as they are of no value to you but are priceless to us.’
- ‘I know it is still a long shot to win the league title.’
- ‘It's always been a long shot, and once it's over, I don't regret it.’
- ‘It's a long shot, but maybe the firebrand is just getting old.’
- ‘It was a long shot, but not outside the bounds of possibility.’
- ‘‘I would have said this would be a long shot for us at the start of the season,’ he said.’
- ‘It is a long shot, even now, but a win today, in advance of next year's split in the Premier League, could see the tide turning.’
wager, stake, gamble, ante
Pronunciation
Phrases
- by a long shot
By far.
- ‘his follow-up is a much better movie by a long shot’
- ‘We don't have our act together in Washington by a long shot.’
- ‘We're barely into April and the serious hurling hasn't started by a long shot yet.’
- ‘Small business is the key to prosperity and is the State's largest employer by a long shot.’
- ‘In 2003, the difference amounted to €7.7 billion, making Germany the biggest net contributor by a long shot.’
- ‘This mystifying one was our favourite by a long shot.’
1 informal Not by any means; not at all.
- ‘she had not told Tony everything, not by a long shot’
2North American By no means.
- ‘we're not there yet, not by a long shot’
informal
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