seat-of-the-pants
/ˌsiːtə(v)ðəˈpants/ /ˈˌsidə(v)ðəˈpaen(t)s/informal
adjective
Of a person: tending to act instinctively, spontaneously, or expediently. Of an activity: done on the basis of practical experience rather than technical knowledge; informal; inexact.
Origin
1930s; earliest use found in Popular Science Monthly. From seat + of + the + pants, after by the seat of one's pants.
- put one's head in a noose
- put one's money where one's mouth is
- put one's shirt on
- put one's shoulder to the wheel
- put on flesh
- putonghua
- put on one's thinking cap
- put on (or lose) weight
- put on the dog
- put on the ritz
- put option
- put (or bring or carry) something into effect
- put (or give or set) one's mind to
- put (or have) someone's ass in a sling
- put (or have) the wind up
- put (or lay) one's cards on the table
- put (or lay) one's head (or neck) on the block
- put (or lay) on jam
- put (or place) a premium on
- put (or place) someone on a pedestal
- put (or set) one's hand to the plough
- put (or set) one's house in order
- put (or set) pen to paper
- put (or set) someone right
- put (or set) something to rights