English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Hit or miss
Meaning
The idiom "hit or miss" is used to describe something that happens by chance rather than as a result of deliberate effort or planning. It suggests that the outcome was either successful (a hit) or unsuccessful (a miss). The term comes from the game of baseball, where a hit refers to getting a ball with a bat and running around a series of bases, while a miss refers to failing to make contact with the ball.
Usage
- "I tried studying for the exam, but I didn't do well on it. It was a bit hit or miss."
- "I'm not great at cooking, so I either have a hit or a miss when I try making dinner."
- "The weather was quite unpredictable today - sunny and hot one minute, rainy and cold the next. It was hit or miss."
- "I've tried to learn French for years, but I haven't made much progress. It's been a bit hit or miss."
- "The concert last night was amazing - some of the performances were truly hits, while others were more of a miss."
Roots and History
The idiom has been in use since at least the early 20th century. Its earliest known usage can be traced back to the game of baseball, where a hit refers to getting a ball with a bat and running around a series of bases, while a miss refers to failing to make contact with the ball. The term was later applied to other situations in which the outcome was unpredictable or dependent on chance rather than deliberate effort or planning.
Synonyms in English
- Serendipity - an occurrence and development of events by chance
- Chance encounter - a meeting that happens at random or unexpectedly
- Fortune's favor - good luck or success that comes by chance
- Fate - the power believed to control events, often as a result of choice or action
- Luck - an accidental or undeserved advantage or benefit
Synonyms in other languages
- Serendipité (French) - the occurrence and development of events by chance
- 幸運 (Japanese) - good luck or success that comes by chance
- 运命 (Chinese) - fate or destiny, often influenced by choice or action
- Fatalismo (Portuguese) - belief that one's fate is predetermined and cannot be changed
- Fortuna (Spanish) - the goddess of fortune and luck, who can either bring good luck or misfortune