touch-and-go
Could go either
Touch-and-go describes a precarious situation where the outcome is uncertain: It was touch-and-go for a while, but she pulled through.
The phrase suggests hovering at a critical threshold—success and failure both possible.
In aviation, a touch-and-go is a training maneuver where a plane lands briefly then immediately takes off again without stopping.
Not firmly known
- diceyUncertain and hazardous
- iffyUncertain, questionable
- unpredictableCannot be anticipated
- riskyInvolving possible harm
shaky · unstable · volatile · chancy · dodgy · doubtful · tenuous · hazardous
Descent's final moment
- runwayPaved path for planes
- wheelsCircular rotation devices
- tarmacPaved airport surface
- approachWay of handling something
descent · practice · maneuver · pilot · training · cockpit · airstrip · go-around
Serious sudden danger
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- life-threateningRisking death
- urgentNeeding immediate attention
- direExtremely serious or urgent
grave · serious · intensive-care · life-or-death · high-stakes · crucial · vital · decisive
uncertain
Not firmly known
- diceyUncertain and hazardous
- iffyUncertain, questionable
- unpredictableCannot be anticipated
risky · shaky · unstable · volatile · chancy · dodgy · doubtful · tenuous · hazardous · perilous
landing
Descent's final moment
approach · descent · practice · maneuver · pilot · training · cockpit · airstrip · go-around · bounce
emergency
Serious sudden danger
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- life-threateningRisking death
- urgentNeeding immediate attention
dire · grave · serious · intensive-care · life-or-death · high-stakes · crucial · vital · decisive · pivotal
- landingslanding, touchdown, emergency landing, soft landing, crash landing
- Danger Levelsdanger, high risk, high-risk, low risk, critical
- intermittentintermittent, sporadic, periodic, on-off, discontinuous
- almost therealmost, nearly, close, imminent, impending
- recreational flyinggliding, hang gliding, paragliding, skydiving, ballooning
touch-and-gocertain
Free from doubt
sure · guaranteed · assured · definite · positive
touch-and-gosafe
Free from peril
secure · stable · out of danger · out of the woods · solid
touch-and-gomethodical
Organized and deliberate
systematic · orderly · thorough · deliberate · careful
touch, touching, touched, untouched, touches, untouchable, touchable, retouch, touchscreen