shot

noun, plural shots or for 6, 8, shot.

1. a discharge of a firearm, bow, etc.
2. the range of or the distance traveled by a missile in its flight.
3. an aimed discharge of a missile.
4. an attempt to hit a target with a missile.
5. an act or instance of shooting a firearm, bow, etc.
6. a small ball or pellet of lead, a number of which are loaded in a cartridge and used for one charge of a shotgun.
7. such pellets collectively: a charge of shot.
8. a projectile for discharge from a firearm or cannon.
9. such projectiles collectively: shot and shell.
10. a person who shoots; marksman: He was a good shot.
11. Slang. a blow; punch: The prizefighter was knocked out by a shot in the chin.
12. anything like a shot, especially in being sudden and forceful.
13. a heavy metal ball that competitors cast as far as possible in shot-putting contests.
14. an aimed stroke, throw, or the like, as in certain games, especially in an attempt to score.
15. an attempt or try: He’s entitled to a shot at the championship.
16. a remark aimed at some person or thing.
17. a guess at something.
18. a hypodermic injection, as of a serum, vaccine, narcotic, or anaesthetic: He took a series of immunizing shots for hay fever.
19. a small quantity, especially an ounce, of undiluted liquor.
20. an amount due, especially at a tavern.
21. Photography.
    1. a photograph, especially a snapshot: Here’s a nice shot of my kids.
    2. the act of making a photograph, especially a snapshot.
22. Movies, Television. a unit of action photographed without interruption and constituting a single camera view.
23. an explosive charge in place for detonation, as in mining or quarrying.
24. Metallurgy. comparatively hard globules of metal in the body of a casting.
25. Nautical. a 90-foot (27-meter) length of anchor cable or chain.
26. Checkers. a compulsory series of exchanges, especially when it proves favorable to the aggressor.
27. Textiles.
    1. a pick sent through the shed in a single throw of the shuttle.
    2. (in carpet weaving) filling yarn used to bind the pile to the fabric, usually expressed with a preceding number representing the quantity of picks used: three-shot carpet.
    3. a defect in a fabric caused by an unusual color or size in the yarn.
28. a chance with odds for and against; a bet: a 20 to 1 shot that his horse will come in first.

verb (used with object), shot·ted, shot·ting.

29. to load or supply with shot.
30. to weight with shot.

verb (used without object), shot·ted, shot·ting.

31. to manufacture shot, as in a shot tower.

Idioms

32. by a long shot. long shot(def 4).
33. call one’s shots, Informal. to indicate beforehand what one intends to do and how one intends to do it.
34. call the shots, Informal. to have the power or authority to make decisions or control policy: Now that he’s chairman of the board, he calls the shots.
35. have/take a shot at, make an attempt at: I’ll have a shot at solving the problem.
36. like a shot, instantly; quickly: He bolted out of here like a shot.
37. shot in the arm, Informal. something that results in renewed vigor, confidence, etc.; stimulus: Her recent promotion has given her a shot in the arm. The new members gave the club a shot in the arm.
38. shot in the dark, Informal. a wild guess; a random conjecture.

verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of shoot¹.

adjective

2. woven so as to present a play of colors; having a changeable color; variegated, as silk.
3. spread or streaked with color: the dawn sky shot with gold.
4. in hopelessly bad condition; ruined: Those sneakers are really shot. His morale is shot.
5. Slang. intoxicated.

verb (used with object), shot, shoot·ing.

1. to hit, wound, damage, kill, or destroy with a missile discharged from a weapon.
2. to execute or put to death with a bullet: to be shot at sunrise.
3. to send forth or discharge (a missile) from a weapon: to shoot a bullet.
4. to discharge (a weapon): to shoot a gun.
5. to send forth (words, ideas, etc.) rapidly: to shoot questions at someone.
6. to fling; propel: The volcano shot lava high into the air.
7. to direct suddenly or swiftly: Shoot the spotlight on the doorway. He shot a smile at his wife.
8. to move suddenly; send swiftly along.
9. to go over (country) in hunting game.
10. to pass rapidly through, over, down, etc.: to shoot rapids.
11. to emit (a ray or rays, as of light) suddenly, briefly, or intermittently.
12. to variegate by threads, streaks, etc., of another color.
13. to cause to extend or project: He shot out his arm and grabbed the ball.
14. to discharge or empty, as down a chute: Do not shoot rubbish here!
15. Sports.
    1. to throw, kick, or otherwise propel (a ball, puck, etc.), as at a goal or teammate.
    2. to score (a goal, points, etc.) by propelling the ball, puck, etc.
16. Games. to propel (a marble) from the crook or first knuckle of the forefinger by flicking with the thumb.
17. (in dice games)
    1. to throw (the dice or a specific number).
    2. to wager or offer to bet (a sum of money): I’ll shoot ten bucks.
18. Photography. to photograph or film.
19. to put forth (buds, branches, etc.), as a plant.
20. to slide (a bolt or the like) into or out of its fastening.
21. to pull (one’s cuffs) abruptly toward one’s hands.
22. Golf. to make a final score of (so many strokes): He shot a 73 on the first 18 holes of the tournament.
23. to take the altitude of (a heavenly body): to shoot the sun.
24. to detonate; cause to explode, as a charge of explosives.
25. Aeronautics. to practice (a maneuver) by repetition: to shoot landings.
26. Slang. to inject (an addictive drug) intravenously.

verb (used without object), shot, shoot·ing.

27. to send forth missiles from a bow, firearm, or the like.
28. to be discharged, as a firearm.
29. to hunt with a gun for sport: He fishes, but he doesn’t shoot.
30. to move or pass suddenly or swiftly; spurt: The car shot ahead and was soon out of sight.
31. Nautical. to acquire momentum and coast into the wind, as a sailboat in a confined area.
32. to grow forth from the ground, as a stem.
33. to put forth buds or shoots, as a plant; germinate.
34. Photography. to photograph.
35. Movies. to film or begin to film a scene or movie.
36. to extend; jut: a cape shooting out into the sea.
37. Sports, Games.
    1. to propel a ball, puck, etc., at a goal, basket, pocket, etc., or in a specific direction: He shot for the green with a five iron.
    2. to propel a ball in a specific way: The center shoots left-handed.
38. to be felt by or flow through or permeate the body: Pain shot through his injured arm. Chills shot up and down her spine.
39. to carry by force of discharge or momentum: The missile left its pad and shot thousands of miles into space.
40. Informal. to begin, especially to begin to talk: I want to hear your complaint, so shoot!

noun

41. the act of shooting with a bow, firearm, etc.
42. Chiefly British. a hunting trip or expedition.
43. a match or contest at shooting.
44. a growing or sprouting, as of a plant.
45. a new or young growth that shoots off from some portion of a plant.
46. the amount of such growth.
47. a young branch, stem, twig, or the like.
48. a sprout that is not three feet high.
49. a chute.
50. Rocketry. the launching of a missile.
51. Informal. a photographic assignment or session, as for a feature film or a television commercial: The actress is away on a shoot.
52. Rowing. the interval between strokes.
53. Mining.
    1. a small tunnel branching off from a larger tunnel.
    2. a narrow vein of ore.

Verb Phrases

54. shoot down,
    1. to cause to fall by hitting with a shot: They shot down several ducks.
    2. Informal.to disparage, reject, or expose as false or inadequate; debunk: to shoot down a popular theory.
55. shoot for/at, to attempt to obtain or accomplish; strive toward: He is shooting for a higher production level.
56. shoot up,
    1. to grow rapidly or suddenly.
    2. Informal.to damage or harass by reckless shooting: cowboys shooting up the town.
    3. to wound by shooting: He shot up the lion, but his guide killed it.
    4. Slang.to inject an addictive drug intravenously.

Idioms

57. shoot from the hip, to act or speak without due consideration or deliberation.
58. shoot off one’s mouth/face, Slang.
    1. to talk indiscreetly, especially to reveal confidences, make thoughtless remarks, etc.
    2. to exaggerate: He likes to shoot off his mouth about what a great guy he is.
59. shoot one’s bolt. bolt¹(def 29).
60. shoot one’s wad. wad¹(def 13).
61. shoot the breeze. breeze¹(def 11).
62. shoot the bull. bull³(def 2).
63. shoot the works. work(def 55).

noun

1. the act or an instance of discharging a projectile
2. plural shot a solid missile, such as an iron ball or a lead pellet, discharged from a firearm
3. 1. small round pellets of lead collectively, as used in cartridges
   2. metal in the form of coarse powder or small pellets
4. the distance that a discharged projectile travels or is capable of travelling
5. a person who shoots, esp with regard to his abilityhe is a good shot
6. informal an attempt; effort
7. informal a guess or conjecture
8. any act of throwing or hitting something, as in certain sports
9. the launching of a rocket, missile, etc, esp to a specified destinationa moon shot
10. 1. a single photographI took 16 shots of the wedding
    2. a series of frames on cine film concerned with a single event
    3. a length of film taken by a single camera without breaks, used with others to build up a full motion picture or television film
11. informal an injection, as of a vaccine or narcotic drug
12. informal a glass of alcoholic drink, esp spirits
13. sport a heavy metal ball used in the shot put
14. an explosive charge used in blasting
15. globules of metal occurring in the body of a casting that are harder than the rest of the casting
16. a unit of chain length equal to 75 feet (Brit) or 90 feet (US)
17. call the shots slang to have control over an organization, course of action, etc
18. have a shot at informal
    1. to attempt
    2. Australianto jibe at or vex
19. like a shot very quickly, esp willingly
20. shot in the arm informal anything that regenerates, increases confidence or efficiency, etchis arrival was a shot in the arm for the company
21. shot in the dark a wild guess
22. that’s the shot Australian informal that is the right thing to do

verb shots, shotting or shotted

23. (tr) to weight or load with shot

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of shoot

adjective

2. (of textiles) woven to give a changing colour effectshot silk
3. streaked with colour
4. slang exhausted
5. get shot of or get shut of slang to get rid of

verb shoots, shooting or shot

1. (tr) to hit, wound, damage, or kill with a missile discharged from a weapon
2. to discharge (a missile or missiles) from a weapon
3. to fire (a weapon) or (of a weapon) to be fired
4. to send out or be sent out as if from a weaponhe shot questions at her
5. (intr) to move very rapidly; dart
6. (tr) to slide or push into or out of a fasteningto shoot a bolt
7. to emit (a ray of light) or (of a ray of light) to be emitted
8. (tr) to go or pass quickly over or throughto shoot rapids
9. (intr) to hunt game with a gun for sport
10. (tr) to pass over (an area) in hunting game
11. to extend or cause to extend; project
12. (tr) to discharge down or as if down a chute
13. (intr) (of a plant) to produce (buds, branches, etc)
14. (intr) (of a seed) to germinate
15. to photograph or record (a sequence, subject, etc)
16. (tr; usually passive) to variegate or streak, as with colour
17. sport to hit or propel (the ball, etc) towards the goal
18. (tr) sport, mainly US and Canadian to score (points, strokes, etc)he shot 72 on the first round
19. (tr) to plane (a board) to produce a straight edge
20. (tr) mining to detonate
21. (tr) to measure the altitude of (a celestial body)
22. (often foll by up) slang to inject (someone, esp oneself) with (a drug, esp heroin)
23. shoot a line See line 1 (def. 58)
24. shoot from the hip to speak bluntly or impulsively without concern for the consequences
25. shoot one’s bolt See bolt 1 (def. 13)
26. shoot oneself in the foot informal to damage one’s own cause inadvertently
27. shoot one’s mouth off slang
    1. to talk indiscreetly
    2. to boast or exaggerate
28. shoot the breeze See breeze 1 (def. 5)

noun

29. the act of shooting
30. the action or motion of something that is shot
31. the first aerial part of a plant to develop from a germinating seed
32. any new growth of a plant, such as a bud, young branch, etc
33. mainly British a meeting or party organized for hunting game with guns
34. an area or series of coverts and woods where game can be hunted with guns
35. a steep descent in a stream; rapid
36. informal a photographic assignment
37. geology mining a narrow workable vein of ore
38. obsolete the reach of a shot
39. the whole shoot slang everything

interjection

40. US and Canadian an exclamation expressing disbelief, scepticism, disgust, disappointment, etc

n.

Old English scot, sceot “a shot, a shooting, an act of shooting; that which is discharged in shooting, what is shot forth; darting, rapid motion,” from Proto-Germanic *skutan (cf. Old Norse skutr, Old Frisian skete, Middle Dutch scote, German Schuß “a shot”), related to sceotan “to shoot” (see shoot (v.)).

Meaning “discharge of a bow, missile,” also is from related Old English gesceot. Extended to other projectiles in Middle English, and to sports (hockey, basketball, etc.) 1868. Another original meaning, “payment” (perhaps literally “money thrown down”) is preserved in scot-free. “Throwing down” might also have led to the meaning “a drink,” first attested 1670s, the more precise meaning “small drink of straight liquor” by 1928 (shot glass by 1955). Camera view sense is from 1958. Sense of “hypodermic injection” first attested 1904; figurative phrase shot in the arm “stimulant” first recorded 1922. Meaning “try, attempt” is from 1756; sense of “remark meant to wound” is recorded from 1841. Meaning “an expert in shooting” is from 1780. To call the shots “control events, make decisions” is American English, 1922, perhaps from sport shooting. Shot in the dark “uninformed guess” is from 1885. Big shot “important person” is from 1861.

adj.

early 15c., past participle adjective from from shoot (v.). Meaning “wounded or killed by a bullet or other projectile” is from 1837. Figurative sense “ruined, worn out” is from 1833.

v.

Old English sceotan “to hurl missiles, cast; strike, hit, push; run, rush; send forth swiftly; wound with missiles” (class II strong verb; past tense sceat, past participle scoten), from Proto-Germanic *skeutanan (cf. Old Saxon skiotan, Old Norse skjota “to shoot with (a weapon); shoot, launch, push, shove quickly,” Old Frisian skiata, Middle Dutch skieten, Dutch schieten, Old High German skiozan, German schießen), from PIE root *skeud- “to shoot, to chase, to throw, to project” (cf. Sanskrit skundate “hastens, makes haste,” Old Church Slavonic iskydati “to throw out,” Lithuanian skudrus “quick, nimble”).

In reference to pool playing, from 1926. Meaning “to strive (for)” is from 1967, American English. Sense of “descend (a river) quickly” is from 1610s. Meaning “to inject by means of a hypodermic needle” is attested from 1914. Meaning “photograph” (especially a movie) is from 1890. As an interjection, an arbitrary euphemistic alteration of shit, it is recorded from 1934. Shoot the breeze “chat” first recorded 1941. Shoot-’em-up (adj.) in reference to violent entertainment (Western movies, etc.) is from 1942. Shoot to kill first attested 1867. Shoot the cat “to vomit” is from 1785. To shoot the moon originally meant “depart by night with ones goods to escape back rent” (1829).

O, ’tis cash makes such crowds to the gin shops roam,
And ’tis cash often causes a rumpus at home ;
‘Tis when short of cash people oft shoot the moon ;
And ’tis cash always keeps our pipes in tune.
Cash! cash! &c.

[“The Melodist and Mirthful Olio, An Elegant Collection of the Most Popular Songs,” vol. IV, London, 1829]

n.1

“young branch of a tree or plant,” mid-15c., from shoot (v.). Also “heavy, sudden rush of water” (1610s); “artificial channel for water running down” (1707); “conduit for coal, etc.” (1844).

n.2

1530s, “an act of shooting;” 1852 as “a shooting match or party,” from shoot (v.).

n.

1. A hypodermic injection.
2. A small amount given or applied at one time.

1. The part of a vascular plant that is above ground, including the stem and leaves. The tips of shoots contain the apical meristem.

In addition to the idioms beginning with shot

• shot in the arm, a
• shot in the dark
• shot to hell
• shot up

also see:

• big cheese (shot)
• call the shots
• cheap shot
• give it one’s best shot
• have a crack (shot) at
• like a shot
• long shot
• parting shot

Also see undershoot.

In addition to the idioms beginning with shoot

• shoot down
• shoot for
• shoot from the hip
• shoot off one’s mouth
• shoot one’s bolt
• shoot oneself in the foot
• shoot straight
• shoot the breeze
• shoot the works
• shoot up

also see:

• like shooting fish in a barrel
• sure as shooting
• whole ball of wax (shooting match)

Also see undershot.