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.
- life science
- life sciences
- life scientist
- life seat
- life's end
- life sentence
- life-size
- life-sized
- life skill
- lifesome
- lifespan
- life spring
- life stage
- life story
- life string
- lifestyle
- lifestyle block
- lifestyle choice
- lifestyle drug
- lifestyler
- life support
- life-supporting
- life support machine
- life-sustaining
- life's work