a shot in the dark
当ずっぽう
解説 Definition
成功の見込みが薄い試み。情報がない中での推測や当てずっぽうのこと。
A shot in the dark is a guess or attempt made without enough information. It is used when someone tries something even though they are not sure it will be correct or successful. The phrase often suggests uncertainty, but sometimes the guess still works.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
a shot in the dark は、shot「一発・ひと試み」と dark「暗闇」をそのまま場面で覚えるのが近道。暗くて的が見えないのに撃つ、と考えると「根拠の薄い推測」「当たる保証のない試み」が自然に結びつく。単なる guess よりも、運任せで成功率が低い感じが強い。It was just a shot in the dark. の形で「ただの当てずっぽうだよ」とよく使う。dark が「情報不足」の比喩になっていると押さえると定着しやすい。
Picture taking a shot when it is dark and you cannot see the target. That image makes the meaning easy to remember: a guess or attempt with very little information. It is stronger than just guess because it suggests low chances of success.
例文
I have no idea who took my umbrella, but I'll take a shot in the dark and ask my colleague.
誰が私の傘を持っていったか分からないが、当てずっぽうで同僚に聞いてみよう。
The detective's theory was a shot in the dark, but it turned out to be surprisingly accurate.
刑事の推理は当てずっぽうだったが、驚くほど正確であることが判明した。
Without any data to guide us, our marketing strategy was essentially a shot in the dark.
データが何もない中で、私たちのマーケティング戦略は基本的に当てずっぽうだった。
a shot in the dark の類義語・関連語
類義語
a shot in the dark の語源・成り立ち Etymology
shotはshootの名詞形で古英語sceotan、darkは古英語deorcにさかのぼります。見えない所へ弾を撃つ像から、a shot in the darkは根拠の薄い推測や当てずっぽうを表し、「暗闇では狙えない」がそのまま意味になっています。shootやshooterが同系です。
This idiom is built from old English words: "shot" from "shoot," and "dark" from Old English roots. Its literal image is firing at something when you cannot see clearly. Because of that, it came to mean a guess or attempt made with little evidence or certainty.
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