Hail Mary

[heyl mer-ee, mair-ee]

noun

1. Ave Maria.

2. Also called Hail Mary pass,. Also called Hail Mary play. a long forward pass in football, especially as a last-ditch attempt at the end of a game, where completion is considered unlikely.

Hail Mary

noun

1. Also called: Ave Maria. RC Church a prayer to the Virgin Mary, based on the salutations of the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:28) and Elizabeth (Luke 1:42) to her

2. slang,  American football a very long high pass into the end zone, made in the final seconds of a half or of a game

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hail Mary¹

1300–50; Middle English, translation of Medieval Latin Ave Maria

Example Sentences

Tossing a lifeline to embattled President Javier Milei before Argentina’s midterm election in October looked like the financial equivalent of a Hail Mary football pass.

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That was his Hail Mary pass Sunday as he declared on social media that “People that are against Tariffs are FOOLS!”

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Instead of dropping out, though, he opted for a debate Hail Mary.

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And when a Hail Mary attempt by Mahomes on the final play fell incomplete, Allen and the Bills had escaped with a 28-21 victory.

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Absent a Hail Mary, Glenn County’s only hospital is set to close its doors in October.

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