definitions

Parthian shot

noun

a sharp, telling remark, act, gesture, etc., made in departing.

RELATED CONTENT

Order Your Coffee Like A BossWhether it’s your first time in a proper cafe or you’re in a coffee rut and aren’t sure what to try next, it’s time to level up your coffee knowledge.
READ MORE
Yummy Cocktails With Nasty-Sounding NamesBetween nasty and naughty, we take a look at some of the dirtiest cocktail names and the history behind each.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

answer, stratagem

Origin of Parthian shot

First recorded in 1900–05; so called from the ancient Parthian cavalry's habit of shooting arrows rearward at the enemy while in real or feigned flight
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for parthian shot

Parthian shot

noun

another term for parting shot

Word Origin for Parthian shot

alluding to the custom of Parthian archers who shot their arrows backwards while retreating
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012