by the seat of their pants

Question

Hi.Can someone help me?  I need to explain this idiom.

Nef · Accepted Answer

Hi,

This is from thefreedictionary.

seat-of-the-pants (s

t

v-

-p

nts

)

adj. Slang

1. Based on or using intuition and experience rather than a plan or method; improvised: "Each has already moved beyond seat-of-the-pants management to more professional operating procedures" Business Week.

2. Performed without using instruments: a seat-of-the-pants landing of the aircraft.

I think the idea is that something is unplanned, done in a hurry to fit a particular situation, made up on the spot.

VanG · Answer

0 Thank you!!!!0-

Clive · Answer

0Hi,02br
02br
00I think the meaning becomes clearer if you consider where the words come from. Think about this picture.02br
02br
00Tom is flying a plane. He has had very few lessons, and he knows very little about the theory of flying. So, how does he fly the plane? He sits in the pilot's chair and tries to understand what to do by feeling the plane's movements through the chair, in other words he 00feels it through01font00 'the seat of his pants'.02font02br
02br
00Best wishes, Clive0-

VanG · Answer

0Ok! That makes it make much better sense.02br
02br
00Thank you, Clive.02br
02br
00Ya entendí.0-

by the seat of their pants

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