parting shot
a remark made as you are leaving
TRANSLATION
parting shot = eine Spitze Bemerkung zum Abschied --- GOOGLE INDEX parting shot: approximately 1,500,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
U.N. Chief Takes PARTING SHOT at Bush's Diplomacy
(New York Times headline)
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In an impassioned PARTING SHOT on Wednesday night, Williams indicated that his loyalty had been betrayed. "I am no longer caddying for Tiger (Woods) after he informed me he needed to make a change," the 47 year-old said."
(Daily Telegraph, London)
(New York Times headline)
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In an impassioned PARTING SHOT on Wednesday night, Williams indicated that his loyalty had been betrayed. "I am no longer caddying for Tiger (Woods) after he informed me he needed to make a change," the 47 year-old said."
(Daily Telegraph, London)
Did you
know?
parting shot
idiom
- a final remark, typically a cutting one, made by someone at the moment of departure
(Oxford English Dictionary)
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Much has been discussed about the origin of the expression "parting shot." One of the most popular theories, which the experts at Oxford Dictionaries ascribe to, has to do with an ancient race of people called the Parthians. Other etymologists have cast doubt on this origin. We will let the experts slug it out in the "etymological boxing ring" and simply share the Oxford explanation:
A parting shot, a phrase used to mean a final remark, usually pointed or cutting, made by a person at the moment of leaving, started out as something quite different: a 'Parthian shot’. It was indeed both live and dangerous.
The Parthians were an ancient race in southwest Asia. They were skilled warriors with exceptionally clever battle tactics. Parthian horsemen would confuse their enemies with their rapid manoeuvres. The most deadly was their strategy of discharging missiles backwards while fleeing or pretending to flee. A Parthian shot was, quite literally, a lethal one.
The idea of delivering this final blow passed figuratively into the language in the 17th century. Over time "Parthian" was corrupted to 'parting’ as fewer people understood the allusion. The replacement makes perfect sense.
(adapted from the Oxford English Dictionary)
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SYNONYMS
the last word, a final rejoinder
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"His parting shot was to criticise the CEO on the intranet."
idiom
- a final remark, typically a cutting one, made by someone at the moment of departure
(Oxford English Dictionary)
---
Much has been discussed about the origin of the expression "parting shot." One of the most popular theories, which the experts at Oxford Dictionaries ascribe to, has to do with an ancient race of people called the Parthians. Other etymologists have cast doubt on this origin. We will let the experts slug it out in the "etymological boxing ring" and simply share the Oxford explanation:
A parting shot, a phrase used to mean a final remark, usually pointed or cutting, made by a person at the moment of leaving, started out as something quite different: a 'Parthian shot’. It was indeed both live and dangerous.
The Parthians were an ancient race in southwest Asia. They were skilled warriors with exceptionally clever battle tactics. Parthian horsemen would confuse their enemies with their rapid manoeuvres. The most deadly was their strategy of discharging missiles backwards while fleeing or pretending to flee. A Parthian shot was, quite literally, a lethal one.
The idea of delivering this final blow passed figuratively into the language in the 17th century. Over time "Parthian" was corrupted to 'parting’ as fewer people understood the allusion. The replacement makes perfect sense.
(adapted from the Oxford English Dictionary)
---
SYNONYMS
the last word, a final rejoinder
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"His parting shot was to criticise the CEO on the intranet."
