So what exactly is a "potshot?"

In My Humble Opinion
1

OK, I had a disagreement in semantics with someone, whom I chided for making a potshot at someone else.

The difference in opinion was:

He said that “if it’s something true, it’s not a potshot.”

My contention is that a potshot is something not relevant to the subject at hand and meant simply to hurt or embarrass the recipient–whether it’s true or not.

I think the dictionary definitions I’ve found support my view, but this is more of a poll:

How do you define a potshot, and does being truthful abrogate its potshottedness?

2

I’ve always assumed it to mean a (true) cheap shot that doesn’t really have anything to do with what’s being discussed.

Wouldn’t an untrue potshot be called a “lie”?

3

Same here. I’ve always assumed a potshot was an Ad Hominem attack rather than a serious attempt at debate.

4

[So called because such a shot is fired by a hunter whose main purpose is to get food for the pot.] www.dictionary.com

I think it connotes a shot taken at an easy target, such as a public figure, that is made without much thought.