pot shot

See also: potshot

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

1858, shot taken for the (cooking) pot, namely for food; see pothunter.[1] Sense “opportunistic criticism” from 1926.[1]

Noun

pot shot (plural pot shots)

  1. A haphazard shot with a firearm, taken with careless aim, often fired at a random target.
  2. A shot taken from a hidden stakeout.
  3. By analogy, insulting or hurtful words carelessly or randomly said; opportunistic attack, especially criticism.
    • 2007, The Observer‎:
      Why should Jonathan, Ruth and all the others have to stay out there like sitting ducks as policemen and their smug reporter friends took pot shots at them?

Translations

References
  1. Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “pot shot”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Anagrams
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