ESL Podcast 994 - Describing Accuracy and Inaccuracy

target - a person or a thing that one tries to hit, often during an attack

The target of the military attack is the enemy's headquarters.

archery - the sport or skill of using a weapon with a bow and arrow to hit a target

Can you imagine using only archery skills to hunt for food to feed your family?

aim - the ability to direct a weapon or another thing toward a specific place or person

Let's see how well you can throw this baseball. Aim for that tree over there.

precision - accuracy; being able to be exact

Gem cutters must have very good precision to produce perfect diamonds.

to pick (something) up - to learn how to do something, usually casually and not with a lot of study or effort; to become skilled in doing something

How did you learn to speak Russian? Did you pick it up from your grandparents?

refresher - an activity that reminds one how to do something or updates one's skills or knowledge

Before taking the college entrance test, it's a good idea to take a refresher course in math.

the rudiments of - the basic principles; the basic skills or knowledge of something

Before becoming a chef, you'll first need to learn the rudiments of basic cooking.

to take up - to begin to learn something; to start learning how to do something

Johann took up the piano after he retired from his job.

bullseye - the center of a target used in sports such as archery and shooting

After seven shots, none of the competitors had hit the bullseye.

forgiving - tolerant of mistakes; still functioning if one is not exact or precise

This lawnmower is very forgiving and will cut grass well even if the land isn't flat and there are a lot of bumps.

bow - a weapon used to shoot arrows, made with two curved pieces of wood joined by a strong and stretched string

Until you build up muscles in your arms, try using a smaller bow.

arrow - a long, thin stick with one sharp end used as a weapon when shot from a bow

The arrow hit and pierced his arm, causing him to drop his sword.

in the neighborhood of - near; close to; in the general area of

We expect a lot of people to attend, in the neighborhood of 100.

wide of the mark - not close to hitting the intended place; not precise at all

This client proposal is wide of the mark, not include most of the elements that the client asked for.

tense - for one's muscles to be tight; not relaxed

After a day of hard work, Emmanuel returned home tense and hungry.

accuracy - the ability to be exact, precise, or correct

No one has been able to guess Lorenza's age with any accuracy.

to take out - to kill someone; to end someone's life

The gangster hired a professional killer to take out his business competitor.

to take (one's) chances - to do something risky or dangerous, with the hope of succeeding

Everybody warned Peter that Julie doesn't date anyone she works with, but he's taking his chances and asking her out anyway.