# potshot

Pronunciation: say "POT-shot" US /ˈpɑtˌʃɑt/, UK /ˈpɒtˌʃɒt/

## Noun

1. A shot fired at an easy or random target, often without careful aim.
   - Simple: A shot fired at a target that is easy to hit or chosen at random.
   - _A bored guard took a potshot at a passing bird._
   - _Vandals had been taking potshots at road signs all summer._
2. A piece of criticism aimed at an easy target; a cheap or opportunistic jab.
   - Simple: An unfair or mean comment aimed at someone who is an easy target.
   - _Every columnist took a potshot at the senator's clumsy speech._
   - _The debate dissolved into cheap potshots rather than real argument._

## Verb

3. To fire quick, casual shots at an easy or randomly chosen target.
   - Simple: To shoot at a target that is easy to hit or picked at random.
   - _Soldiers would potshot at anything that moved beyond the wire._
   - _Snipers potshotted at the convoy from the surrounding hills._

## Adjective

4. Affected by alcohol to the point of being drunk. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Drunk after having too much alcohol to drink.
   - _The squire grew potshot on cheap brandy before the toast was done._
   - _Several guests were already potshot when the dancing began._

## Origin

Formed from 'pot' + 'shot', dating to 1858 for a shot taken to fill the cooking pot with food. The sense of 'opportunistic criticism' arose in 1926, while the 'drunk' sense comes from an obsolete meaning of 'pot' as a cup used for drinking liquor.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/potshot (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).