crosshair
crosshair Lexical Profile
crosshair Game Scores & Validity
• noun
(Usually in the plural, 'crosshairs') A state or position of being the direct focus of intense scrutiny, criticism, or planned action.
"Following the accounting scandal, the corporation found itself squarely in the crosshairs of federal regulators."
Either of two fine, perpendicular wires, threads, or etched lines in the focal plane of an optical instrument (such as a telescope, microscope, or surveyor's transit) or on a digital screen, used for precise alignment, centering, or measurement.
"The astronomer adjusted the telescope until the distant star was centered directly on the crosshair."
Word Nuance & Usage
Most commonly used in the plural form 'crosshairs', especially in the figurative phrase 'in the crosshairs' to mean being the primary focus of scrutiny, criticism, or attention.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 18th century as a compound of 'cross' and 'hair', because early optical instruments literally used intersecting strands of fine human hair, horsehair, or spider silk mounted inside the eyepiece for precise alignment.