Idiom
Long shot
A long shot is an attempt, plan or competitor that has only a small chance of succeeding.
How people use it
It usually appears as a long shot (getting tickets this late is a long shot). People often use it to show hope despite poor odds, as in it's a long shot, but it's worth a try. In betting and sports, a long shot is a horse, team or player not expected to win. Be careful with not by a long shot, which means not at all (we're not finished, not by a long shot). In film, a long shot is also a camera shot taken from far away.
Examples
- Applying for the scholarship felt like a long shot, but Ana got it.
- Our team is a long shot to win the tournament, so any victory will feel huge.
- It's a long shot, but maybe the lost-and-found desk has your scarf.
Where it comes from
The most likely source is shooting. Early guns were inaccurate over distance, so a shot fired from far away was unlikely to hit its target. By the late 1800s, the phrase was used in horse-race betting for a horse with long odds, and from there it spread to any unlikely success.
Check yourself
1. If a job application is a long shot, what does that mean?
Answer: It has only a small chance of success. A long shot is something unlikely to succeed, though it can still be worth trying.
2. What does the related phrase 'not by a long shot' mean?
Answer: Not at all. Not by a long shot strongly denies something, as in we're not done, not by a long shot.
Similar idioms
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