hit and miss

[Seán Fitzpatrick]

I just heard an ATC piece on the kind of old farm engine I used to see at
heritage days in upstate New York.  It’s a kind of internal combustion
engine that fires only when the speed of the fly wheel drops to a specified
rate:  basically a governor on the down side.  It’s called a “hit and miss”
engine.

Is this the origin of the phrase and how is it related to “hit or miss”?

 

Seán Fitzpatrick
The ends had better justify the means.
 <http://www.logomachon.blogspot.com/> http://www.logomachon.blogspot.com/

 

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