hit-or-miss

[ hit-er-mis ]
/ ˈhɪt ərˈmɪs /

adjective

careless; inattentive; haphazard: The professor criticized the hit-or-miss quality of our research.

Origin of hit-or-miss

First recorded in 1600–10

Definition for hit or miss (2 of 2)

Origin of hit

before 1100; 1865–70, Americanism for def 5a; Middle English hitten, Old English hittan; perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse hitta to come upon (by chance), meet with

synonym study for hit

1. See strike, beat. 25, 27, 29. See blow1.

OTHER WORDS FROM hit

British Dictionary definitions for hit or miss

hit
/ (hɪt) /

verb hits, hitting or hit (mainly tr)

noun

See also hit off, hit on, hit out

Word Origin for hit

Old English hittan, from Old Norse hitta

Idioms and Phrases with hit or miss (1 of 2)

hit or miss

Haphazardly, at random. For example, She took dozens of photos, hit or miss, hoping that some would be good. [c. 1600]

Idioms and Phrases with hit or miss (2 of 2)

hit