scatter-armed

[ skat-er-ahrmd ]

adjective

, Sports.

1. having poor control of the ball in a game in which throwing a ball is part of the play; tending to throw a ball outside its intended path:

   scatter-armed pitchers;

   a strong but scatter-armed quarterback.

Word History and Origins

Origin of scatter-armed¹

First recorded in 1980–85; scatter ( def ) + armed ¹( def )