hit and miss

hit and miss

adjective Sometimes good or successful, sometimes not; having mixed or unpredictable results; random, aimless, careless, or haphazard. Often hyphenated. Films at the festival were hit and miss, but they were all unique. The company still relies on hit-and-miss techniques that seem antiquated by today's standards. The tour around the region felt a bit hit and miss, with no clear agenda or plan.
See also: and, hit, miss
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hit and miss

 and hit or miss
carelessly; aimlessly; without plan or direction. There was no planning. It was just hit and miss. We handed out the free tickets hit or miss. Some people got one. Others got five or six.
See also: and, hit, miss
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

hit and miss

or

hit or miss

COMMON If you describe something as hit and miss or hit or miss, you mean that it is done without proper planning or skill, so that its quality varies. Comedy sketch shows can be a hit and miss affair. The acting, however, is hit and miss: it ranges from excellent to absolutely appalling. Treating sick birds can be a hit or miss operation.
See also: and, hit, miss
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

hit and miss

done or occurring at random; succeeding by chance rather than through planning.
1998 New Scientist But not all species of mosquitoes carry malaria and identifying the culprits is difficult, making control hit and miss.
See also: and, hit, miss
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

ˌhit-and-ˈmiss

(also ˌhit-or-ˈmiss less frequent) not done in a careful or planned way and therefore not likely to be successful: The advertisements were rather hit-and-miss and not based on proper market research. They use rather hit-and-miss techniques for selecting new staff.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • hit or miss
  • hit-and-miss
  • in demand
  • bleeding edge
  • whop
  • whopping
  • Molly whop (one)
  • Molly whop someone
  • Mother Nature
  • muckety muck