shooting from the hip
Literally firing a gun held at hip level without aiming through sights. Also used figuratively for acting without careful preparation.
In Westerns, there are often scenes where gunslingers shoot from the hip.
acting on a rough estimate; starting without enough preparation
Idiomatic use: doing something based on a vague guess or without thorough planning, like shooting from the hip.
He started the business on a rough estimate, but it didn't go well.
Making a decision based on a vague guess is risky.
Standard spelling using 腰 (hip) and kana だめ.
Rare kanji spelling using 撓 (bend/flex); the kana form is much more common.
Compound of 腰 (hip) and だめ, the nominalized form of 矯める (ためる, to straighten or correct). Originally referred to the posture of holding a bow or gun at the hip without proper aim, later extended metaphorically to acting without careful preparation.