miss
hit and miss
also hit-and-miss
[ADJ]
If something is hit and miss or hit or miss, it is sometimes successful and sometimes not.
Farming can be very much a hit-and-miss affair.hit or miss
see hit and missmiss out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P on n, V P
If you miss out on something that would be enjoyable or useful to you, you are not involved in it or do not take part in it.
We're missing out on a tremendous opportunity...
Well, I'm glad you could make it. I didn't want you to miss out.
= lose out
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you miss out something or someone, you fail to include them. (BRIT; in AM, use leave out)
There should be an apostrophe here, and look, you've missed out the word `men' altogether!...
What about Sally? You've missed her out.
= leave out♦♦ miss2 /m'ɪs/ (miss misses missing missed) VERB AND NOUN USES
Please look at category 11 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 [VERB] V n, V
If you miss something, you fail to hit it, for example when you have thrown something at it or you have shot a bullet at it.
She hurled the ashtray across the room, narrowly missing my head...
When I'd missed a few times, he suggested I rest the rifle on a rock to steady it.
≠ hit
[N-COUNT]
Miss is also a noun.
After more misses, they finally put two arrows into the lion's chest.
2 [VERB] V n, also V
In sport, if you miss a shot, you fail to get the ball in the goal, net, or hole.
He scored four of the goals but missed a penalty.
[N-COUNT]
Miss is also a noun.
Striker Alan Smith was guilty of two glaring misses.
3 [VERB] V n, V n
If you miss something, you fail to notice it.
From this vantage point he watched, his searching eye never missing a detail...
It's the first thing you see as you come round the corner. You can't miss it...
≠ notice
4 [VERB] V n
If you miss the meaning or importance of something, you fail to understand or appreciate it.
Tambov had slightly missed the point...
≠ get
5 [VERB] V n, V n
If you miss a chance or opportunity, you fail to take advantage of it.
Williams knew that she had missed her chance of victory...
It was too good an opportunity to miss.
≠ seize
6 [VERB] V n
If you miss someone who is no longer with you or who has died, you feel sad and wish that they were still with you.
Your mama and I are gonna miss you at Christmas...
7 [VERB] V n/-ing, V n/-ing
If you miss something, you feel sad because you no longer have it or are no longer doing or experiencing it.
I could happily move back into a flat if it wasn't for the fact that I'd miss my garden...
He missed having good friends.
8 [VERB] V n
If you miss something such as a plane or train, you arrive too late to catch it.
He missed the last bus home.
≠ catch
9 [VERB] V n, V n
If you miss something such as a meeting or an activity, you do not go to it or take part in it.
It's a pity Makku and I had to miss our lesson last week...
`Are you coming to the show?'--`I wouldn't miss it for the world.'
10 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you give something a miss, you decide not to do it or not to go to it. (BRIT INFORMAL)
Do you mind if I give it a miss?
11
to miss the boat: see boat
not to miss a trick: see trick
see also missing, hit and miss, near miss (near misses)
also near-miss
1 [N-COUNT]
You can say that there is a near miss when something is nearly hit by another thing, for example by a vehicle or a bomb.
Details have been given of a near miss between two airliners over southern England earlier this week...
We've had a few near misses in the raids, as I expect you've noticed.
= narrow escape
2 [N-COUNT]
A near miss is an attempt to do something which fails by a very small amount.
...Milan's successful defence of the European Cup and near-miss in the Italian championship last season.
also hit-and-miss
[ADJ]
If something is hit and miss or hit or miss, it is sometimes successful and sometimes not.
Farming can be very much a hit-and-miss affair.hit or miss
see hit and missmiss out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P on n, V P
If you miss out on something that would be enjoyable or useful to you, you are not involved in it or do not take part in it.
We're missing out on a tremendous opportunity...
Well, I'm glad you could make it. I didn't want you to miss out.
= lose out
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you miss out something or someone, you fail to include them. (BRIT; in AM, use leave out)
There should be an apostrophe here, and look, you've missed out the word `men' altogether!...
What about Sally? You've missed her out.
= leave out♦♦ miss2 /m'ɪs/ (miss misses missing missed) VERB AND NOUN USES
Please look at category 11 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 [VERB] V n, V
If you miss something, you fail to hit it, for example when you have thrown something at it or you have shot a bullet at it.
She hurled the ashtray across the room, narrowly missing my head...
When I'd missed a few times, he suggested I rest the rifle on a rock to steady it.
≠ hit
[N-COUNT]
Miss is also a noun.
After more misses, they finally put two arrows into the lion's chest.
2 [VERB] V n, also V
In sport, if you miss a shot, you fail to get the ball in the goal, net, or hole.
He scored four of the goals but missed a penalty.
[N-COUNT]
Miss is also a noun.
Striker Alan Smith was guilty of two glaring misses.
3 [VERB] V n, V n
If you miss something, you fail to notice it.
From this vantage point he watched, his searching eye never missing a detail...
It's the first thing you see as you come round the corner. You can't miss it...
≠ notice
4 [VERB] V n
If you miss the meaning or importance of something, you fail to understand or appreciate it.
Tambov had slightly missed the point...
≠ get
5 [VERB] V n, V n
If you miss a chance or opportunity, you fail to take advantage of it.
Williams knew that she had missed her chance of victory...
It was too good an opportunity to miss.
≠ seize
6 [VERB] V n
If you miss someone who is no longer with you or who has died, you feel sad and wish that they were still with you.
Your mama and I are gonna miss you at Christmas...
7 [VERB] V n/-ing, V n/-ing
If you miss something, you feel sad because you no longer have it or are no longer doing or experiencing it.
I could happily move back into a flat if it wasn't for the fact that I'd miss my garden...
He missed having good friends.
8 [VERB] V n
If you miss something such as a plane or train, you arrive too late to catch it.
He missed the last bus home.
≠ catch
9 [VERB] V n, V n
If you miss something such as a meeting or an activity, you do not go to it or take part in it.
It's a pity Makku and I had to miss our lesson last week...
`Are you coming to the show?'--`I wouldn't miss it for the world.'
10 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you give something a miss, you decide not to do it or not to go to it. (BRIT INFORMAL)
Do you mind if I give it a miss?
11
to miss the boat: see boat
not to miss a trick: see trick
see also missing, hit and miss, near miss (near misses)
also near-miss
1 [N-COUNT]
You can say that there is a near miss when something is nearly hit by another thing, for example by a vehicle or a bomb.
Details have been given of a near miss between two airliners over southern England earlier this week...
We've had a few near misses in the raids, as I expect you've noticed.
= narrow escape
2 [N-COUNT]
A near miss is an attempt to do something which fails by a very small amount.
...Milan's successful defence of the European Cup and near-miss in the Italian championship last season.