shooting gallery

noun

1. a place equipped with targets and used for practice in shooting.
2. Slang. a place where drug addicts can buy and inject themselves with narcotic drugs.

shooting gallery

noun

1. an area, often enclosed, designed for target practice, shooting, etc
2. slang.
   a house where heroin addicts inject themselves

Word History and Origins

Origin of shooting gallery¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

You don’t feel like the defenseless target in a virus shooting gallery.

From Washington Post

Insurgent sniper fire turned the fetid, 120-degree streets into a hellish shooting gallery.

From The Daily Beast

The journalist, in company with Bertrand, went to a shooting gallery, where he tried his hand at the pistol.

From Project Gutenberg

In describing it I will be describing what an ideal shooting gallery should be like.

From Project Gutenberg

And after a while they were on the great steps leading to the shooting gallery.

From Project Gutenberg

A few minutes later they were under the roof of the shooting gallery.

From Project Gutenberg

There is a sensational realism which is lacking in the ordinary shooting gallery.

From Project Gutenberg