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Touch and go
Definitions
- 1 Characterized by brief and transitory encounters. obsolete
"Madam, I’m gone; no wonder, for you know, Lovers' encounters are but touch and go."
- 2 Precarious, delicate, risky, sensitive; of uncertain outcome (by analogy with a ship in shallow water).
"His condition was touch and go for a time after the accident, but they think he will recover."
- 1 To briefly encounter before moving on. obsolete
"As the text doth rise, I will touch and go a little in euery place, untill I come unto too much."
- 2 To touch bottom lightly and continue without damage, as a vessel in motion.
"Whilst they were disputing the vessel touched the ground, but soon got off again. "Ay," says the captain, "he is a good pilot that can touch and go.""
- 3 To perform a touch-and-go landing.
Etymology
The original sense, now obsolete, seems to have been that of brief encounters. The subsequent nautical sense then gave rise first to the abstract sense (indicating a hazardous situation) and later, by physical analogy, to the aeronautical sense.
The original sense, now obsolete, seems to have been that of brief encounters. The subsequent nautical sense then gave rise first to the abstract sense (indicating a hazardous situation) and later, by physical analogy, to the aeronautical sense.
See also for "touch and go"
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