touch and go

¹ American  

noun

1. a precarious or delicate state of affairs.

   It was touch and go there for a while during the operation.

2. quick action or movement.

   the touch and go of city traffic.

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touch-and-go ² American  

[tuhch-uhn-goh] / ˈtʌtʃ ənˈgoʊ /

adjective

1. risky; precarious.

   a touch-and-go descent down the mountain.

2. hasty, sketchy, or desultory.

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touch and go British  

adjective

1. (touch-and-go when prenominal) risky or critical

   a touch-and-go situation

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touch and go Cultural  

1. Uncertain or precarious: “The doctors told the patient that, even though her disease was in remission, from now on it was touch and go.”

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touch and go Idioms  

1. Extremely uncertain or risky, as in It was touch and go after the surgery; we were not sure he'd survive it, or It was touch and go but they finally gave me a seat on the plane. This idiom implies that a mere touch may cause a calamity. [Early 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of touch and go¹

First recorded in 1645–55

Origin of touch-and-go²

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

In a heartfelt social media post late Saturday, Martyn said it was touch and go whether he would live and the experience was a reminder of "how fragile life is".

From Barron's • Jan. 18, 2026

But the appropriators have continued their work through this period… So it’s a touch and go day-by-day analysis that we have here as a leadership team.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

Genge had been touch and go with a hamstring injury before the tournament, which he claimed to recover from 'like Wolverine'.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2024

Now fluctuations on the thermometer make it touch and go.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2024

It didn’t amount to much, though, and it was touch and go whether she’d have a decent funeral until Ruth walked down to Sonny’s Shop and stared at Macon without blinking.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison