long shot

American  

[lawng shot, long] / ˈlɔŋ ˌʃɒt, ˈlɒŋ /

noun

1. a horse, team, etc., that has little chance of winning and carries long odds.

2. an attempt or undertaking that offers much but in which there is little chance for success.

   Getting tickets at this late date is a long shot, but I'll give it a whirl.

3. Movies, Television. a camera shot taken at a relatively great distance from the subject and permitting a broad view of a scene.

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idioms

1. by a long shot, by any means; by a measurable degree (usually used in the negative).

   They haven't finished by a long shot.

long shot British  

noun

1. a competitor, as in a race, considered to be unlikely to win

2. a bet against heavy odds

3. an undertaking, guess, or possibility with little chance of success

4. films television a shot where the camera is or appears to be distant from the object to be photographed

5. by any means

   he still hasn't finished by a long shot

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Etymology

Origin of long shot

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

That makes this year the worst for measles in the U.S. since 1992, by a long shot.

From Barron's

That makes this year the worst for measles in the U.S. since 1992, by a long shot.

From Barron's

The long shots in “Battleship Potemkin” are equally eloquent—ships at anchor in the dusk, a line of mourners stretching as far as the eye can see along a harbor wall.

From The Wall Street Journal

Whether or not they pull off a long shot wild card run, it’s more clear than ever that their longstanding dominance has evaporated.

From The Wall Street Journal

The idea of the Dodgers trading Hernández has felt like a long shot from the start.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fluke