long shot
long shot — noun
1. something a person tries to do or achieve even though the chance of success is v
something a person tries to do or achieve even though the chance of success is very small — for example, applying for a job that hundreds of other people want, or asking someone for a date who has never shown interest in you before.
Linh knew it was a long shot, but she applied for the lead role in the school play anyway.
The editor said publishing a first-time author was a long shot, but the manuscript was too good to ignore.
long shot + infinitive clause: 'was a long shot to...'
It is a long shot, but the rare painting in their attic might be valuable.
Getting tickets for the sold-out concert at the last minute seemed like a long shot.
- gamble
emphasises the risk of losing rather than the low probability of success
- outside chance
similar meaning but used as a countable noun phrase ('an outside chance'), not a fixed idiom
- sure thing
something certain to succeed, the opposite of a risky attempt
文法句型
long shot / a long shot
用法筆記
Almost always appears as a singular noun after the verb 'be' or the phrase 'seem like'. The structure 'it is a long shot, but…' is a common conversational opener for an unlikely suggestion.
常見錯誤
2. a business undertaking or financial commitment in which someone stakes significa
a business undertaking or financial commitment in which someone stakes significant resources (money, time, or reputation) on an outcome that could either fail completely or bring an exceptionally large return — distinct from sense 1 in that it involves investing resources rather than simply trying something unlikely.
Paloma's vegan café in a mountain town was a long shot, but it soon drew tourists from across the region.
The investors knew the mining project was a long shot because the land had never produced gold before.
collocation: 'was a long shot' with business subject
Banks refused money for the solar fishing boat, calling it a long shot that would never profit.
Jabari's plan to grow vegetables in the desert was a long shot, but a sponsor funded the first year.
- high-risk investment
more formal and specific to finance
- speculative venture
suggests that the outcome is uncertain and based on guesswork
- safe bet
an investment or plan where failure is very unlikely
文法句型
long shot / a long shot
用法筆記
In business contexts, 'long shot' often appears after the verb 'call' or 'consider' ('called it a long shot', 'considered it a long shot'). The focus is on financial risk rather than general probability of success.
3. a participant in a race or competition, such as a horse, a team, or an athlete,
a participant in a race or competition, such as a horse, a team, or an athlete, that most people expect to lose — for example, a runner who has never placed in a major event but is entered anyway.
The horse Dusty Road was the long shot of the race, with odds of fifty to one at the start.
collocation: 'the long shot of the race'
Aoi was listed as a long shot in the marathon after never having run more than fifteen kilometres before.
With odds of fifty to one, the long-shot filly swept past the favourite and won the race by two lengths.
Sports writers ignored the young long shot from Brazil until he defeated the defending champion in straight sets.
- underdog
broader — the underdog is expected to lose but may have popular sympathy; a long shot is strictly about low odds
- favourite
the competitor most expected to win
文法句型
the long shot / a long shot
用法筆記
This sense is most common in American horse-race reporting but extends to any competitive event. Unlike sense 1 ('unlikely attempt'), this sense refers to the person or animal expected to lose, not to the attempt itself.
常見錯誤
4. a wager or bet placed on a competitor who is expected to lose, where the chances
a wager or bet placed on a competitor who is expected to lose, where the chances of winning are very low but the payout is correspondingly huge because the odds are set at a high rate — the focus is on the financial stake itself, not the competitor being bet on (sense 3).
Tuan put fifty dollars on the long shot and was shocked when the horse came in first, paying two thousand.
collocation: 'put money on the long shot'
Experienced gamblers rarely place long shots because a horse at thirty-to-one wins only about three percent of the time.
collocation: [horse] at [number]-to-one + wins / pays
Manuela only bets on long shots when she has a strong hunch about a particular horse's training history.
The betting slip showed five long shots, but none of them finished in the top three positions.
- outside bet
chiefly British English, same meaning but less common in American usage
- safe bet
a wager with very favourable odds
文法句型
a long shot / place a long shot
用法筆記
Closely related to sense 3 (unlikely racer) — a long-shot bet is placed on a long-shot competitor. This sense focuses on the wager itself rather than the person or animal being bet on. Distinguish from sense 3 by asking: are you talking about the bet (place a long shot) or the competitor (the long shot)?