glancing blow
Not a direct hit
A glancing blow strikes at an angle rather than head-on, deflecting off the surface instead of landing squarely.
The contact is partial, reducing the force of impact: The car took a glancing blow to the fender.
Figuratively, something that affects you only slightly: The recession dealt the industry a glancing blow.
- grazeFeed on growing plants
- ricochetAngled deflection off surface
- deflectTurn from course
- near missNarrowly averted incident
- skimPass over lightly
clip · nick · brush · scrape · sideswipe · fender bender · close call · tangent · deflection · bounce · skid · impact · fender · shield · armor · parry · at an angle · glint
glancing blowdirect hit
Strike exactly on target
head-on collision · bulls-eye · bullseye · clean hit · dead center
glancing blowcrushing blow
Overwhelming, decisive strike
knockout blow · fatal blow · crippling blow · mortal wound · death blow
glance, glancing, glanced, glances, blow, blows, blown, blowing, blower