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BMO
Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 705
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Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:04 am Post subject: Long shot |
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A: How did your horse do in the race?
B: He won by a long shot.
About the answer. Is it the horse won by a big margin or that he wasn't supposed to win, but did? |
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Sirius
Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 119 Location: Canada
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Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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Generally the term long shot means unlikely to win.
The horse was a long shot to win.
Although in your example it sounds like he won by a large margin |
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advoca
Joined: 09 Oct 2003 Posts: 422 Location: Beijing
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Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 1:51 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry, BMO, but you are not correct when you say "The horse won by a long shot." This is not right, not by a long shot. A horse cannot win by a long shot.
Long shot has three meanings:
� noun: a venture that involves great risk but promises great rewards
� noun: a contestant that is unlikely to win
� noun: a camera shot taken at considerable distance from the subject.
You could say:
�Buy some shares in that new gold mine company. It�s a long shot investment but the prospects are attractive.�
�Is that horse going to win?� �I don�t know. Maybe, but it�s a long shot.�
�When the cowboy arrives, take him from far back; a long shot.�
But the phrase is often used informally to mean "not by any means" (You are not right, not by a long shot.) |
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BMO
Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 705
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Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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I think sirius is correct in saying that "by a long shot" means by a long distance. So the horse is way ahead of the runner-up. Please look at the following:
Michelle Kwan won the Figure Skating Championship by a long shot.
This probably means Michelle is ahead by a big margin. If I am correct, is she the number 1?
Thanks.
bmo |
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advoca
Joined: 09 Oct 2003 Posts: 422 Location: Beijing
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:45 am Post subject: |
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Beats me.
I have no idea how Michelle can win by a long shot. Just plain old-fashioned bad writing, I think. |
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pugachevV
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2295
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:49 am Post subject: |
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Journalists are notorious for mangling the English language.
Take anything you read in the newspaper with a grain of salt. And I mean EVERYTHING.
If a horse wins a race by a large distance, you say he won by a mile, or he won "going away" (This actually means he was still increasing his lead as he passed the post).
A long shot is originally a term used in archery and shooting and it means what advoca, and the Oxford dictionary, say it means. |
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BMO
Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 705
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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This is from Wordsmyth:
See: long shot
Definition 1. by a considerable amount or distance.
Example Her ball missed the line by a long shot ; That runner is ahead of me by a long shot.
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From M-W Online:
long shot
- by a long shot : by a great deal |
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clonc
Joined: 02 Oct 2005 Posts: 45 Location: UK
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
That runner is ahead of me by a long shot. |
BMO: if you have access to Wordsmyth why the heck did you put the question on this forum?
But in spite of Wordsmyth, there are very few (if any) of the teachers who contribute here have ever heard of the phrase being used as Wordsmyth suggests. Not by a long shot.
My advce to you as a student is not to use the phrase in this way. |
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BMO
Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 705
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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clonc wrote: |
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That runner is ahead of me by a long shot. |
BMO: if you have access to Wordsmyth why the heck did you put the question on this forum?
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Sure, dictionary difinitions may not be "correct" all the time, as I have found out different dictionaries may have different definitions. (Actually this forum is even better than a dictionary. And I am so thankful that I have access to the best "referees" in this forum.)
By bringing my questions here, I get expert opinions, from many native speakers and teachers, and an advice such as yours is all I needed to hear. You see, nowhere did I see the same advice (avoiding this phrase) in any dictionary at www.onelook.com. And there are at least 10 dictionaries there. You see, when I can't get a good answer from the dictionaries, I ask in this forum.
Thanks to you, pugachevV, and advoca.
bmo |
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Sirius
Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 119 Location: Canada
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Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 6:18 am Post subject: |
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As you've indicated, a dictionary does not always reflect the fluidity of language.
I had not often heard long shot as a reference to winning by a large margin. A quick search on the internet showed that it is a fairly common term.
The main thing is that if you encounter this phrase, with a native English speaker, you understand the intent of what they're saying. |
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BMO
Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 705
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Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:27 am Post subject: |
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Hey, thanks again, sirius.
bmo |
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