cross hair

Or crosshair

noun

1. Also called cross wire. one of the fine wires or fibers, strands of spider web, or the like, crossing in a focal plane of an optical instrument to center a target or object or to define a line of sight.

2. one of the marks that aid in the positioning of overlaying images for correct registration in printing.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cross hair¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

From that point on, Canada was in Trump's cross hairs.

Read more on Salon

Musk’s relationship with Trump wasn’t the only one in Kimmel’s cross hairs Thursday.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He even got the Speaker of the House, Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisana, to go before the cameras and personally put the judge's daughter in the cross hairs.

Read more on Salon

Mr. Bolsonaro had been voted out of office, ruled ineligible to run in the next election and was in the cross hairs of deepening criminal investigations.

Read more on New York Times

“I’ve had Scott Perry in my cross hairs from the moment I announced my candidacy last October,” she said in an interview.

Read more on New York Times