scatter shot

US: (skat′ər shot′)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

scat′ter shot′, 

1. Military shot prepared for a weapon having a rifled bore or barrel.

• 1960–65

scat•ter•shot  (skat′ər shot′), adj. 

1. delivered over a wide area and at random;
   generalized and indiscriminate:
   a scattershot attack on the proposed program.

• adjective, adjectival use of scatter shot 1960–65