no-look
UK[ˈnəʊ lʊk]US[ˈnoʊ lʊk]
adj
(of a pass or shot in sports, especially basketball) made without the player looking at the intended target or teammate.
n
an act of passing or shooting without looking.
Morpheme Breakdown
no
look
no
negation
look
act of seeing
Etymology
The compound "no-look" is a modern, transparent formation in English, directly combining the native negative adverb "no" with the verb "look." Its logic is entirely literal, describing an action performed without the visual act of looking. This specific term emerged from the jargon of basketball and other ball sports in the late 20th century to describe a deceptive and skillful pass or shot, where a player uses peripheral awareness or pre-planned coordination instead of direct eye contact. The term's meaning is built directly from the sum of its parts, with no significant semantic evolution from its constituent morphemes.
Analysis
Structure: no (negation) + look (act of seeing)
no: From Old English 'nā', a compound of 'ne' (not) and 'ā' (ever). A negative particle.
look: From Old English 'lōcian' (to see, gaze). A verb meaning to direct one's eyes.
Examples
He made a spectacular no-look pass to the cutter for an easy layup.
The point guard's signature move is a behind-the-back no-look.
It was a risky no-look shot, but it swished through the net.