When a situation is risky or one isn't sure whether things are going to be OK, one might say that a situation is "touch and go". What is the origin of this phrase?
Learn English – Why can something be “touch and go”
etymologyidiomsphrases
etymologyidiomsphrases
When a situation is risky or one isn't sure whether things are going to be OK, one might say that a situation is "touch and go". What is the origin of this phrase?
Best Answer
touch-and-go can mean
"risky; precarious" or "hasty, sketchy"
Etymology Online suggests:
Another version from Loose Cannons and Red Herrings, by Robert Claiborne states:
A far more authoritative answer from user Ken Greenwald on the wordwizard forum explains more with examples, quoted verbatim: