A “long shot” is something you try even though success is unlikely, or a possibility with a low chance of happening. The guide stays with current documented meaning and does not add unsupported origin chronology.
ReviewedEvidence1 sourceSectionPhrases & Idioms
Quick answer
A “long shot” is something you try even though success is unlikely, or a possibility with a low chance of happening.
Key details
Canonical FormLong Shot
Core Meaningan attempt or possibility that is unlikely to succeed
Further guidance
History Boundary
This guide explains the current documented meaning and does not claim a single inventor, exact coinage date, or absolute first use without direct historical evidence.
Meaning
an attempt or possibility that is unlikely to succeed
Usage Boundary
Use the expression only where its documented meaning fits the context; avoid extending it to a broader idea merely because the wording sounds similar.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
“Golden opportunity” means an exceptionally good or valuable chance to do or achieve something. This guide stays with the current documented sense and does not assert unsupported origin chronology.
“Keep Your Fingers Crossed” means hope strongly that something happens in the desired way. This guide focuses on the documented modern idiomatic meaning and does not claim an unsupported exact origin date.
“Saved by the bell” describes a last-minute reprieve from a difficult situation. The reviewed history supports boxing usage in the late nineteenth century and finds no evidence that the phrase originated with bells attached to safety coffins.
“Worth a Shot” means an informal way to say that something is worth attempting even though success is uncertain. Use it for a plausible attempt or experiment; “shot” here is the informal sense of an attempt, not a literal projectile.
“A blessing in disguise” describes something that initially seems bad or unlucky but later produces a good result. Specialist history places the printed phrase in the mid-eighteenth century, while earlier texts may express similar ideas without proving the same idiom.
The informal idiom “not have a snowball’s chance in hell” describes a situation with essentially no chance of success. This guide limits the page to the current form, register, and meaning supported by Cambridge and does not add an unsupported origin story.
Actionable Indication of Interest is a current federal securities-regulation defined term. This guide preserves the rule-specific definition and boundaries instead of replacing it with informal market shorthand.
