shoot

[ shoot ]

/ ʃut /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shoot ON THESAURUS.COM

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

to hit, wound, damage, kill, or destroy with a missile discharged from a weapon.

to execute or put to death with a bullet: to be shot at sunrise.

to send forth or discharge (a missile) from a weapon: to shoot a bullet.

to discharge (a weapon): to shoot a gun.

to send forth (words, ideas, etc.) rapidly: to shoot questions at someone.

to fling; propel: The volcano shot lava high into the air.

to direct suddenly or swiftly: Shoot the spotlight on the doorway. He shot a smile at his wife.

to move suddenly; send swiftly along.

to go over (country) in hunting game.

to pass rapidly through, over, down, etc.: to shoot rapids.

to emit (a ray or rays, as of light) suddenly, briefly, or intermittently.

to variegate by threads, streaks, etc., of another color.

to cause to extend or project: He shot out his arm and grabbed the ball.

to discharge or empty, as down a chute: Do not shoot rubbish here!

Sports.

to throw, kick, or otherwise propel (a ball, puck, etc.), as at a goal or teammate.
to score (a goal, points, etc.) by propelling the ball, puck, etc.

Games. to propel (a marble) from the crook or first knuckle of the forefinger by flicking with the thumb.

(in dice games)

to throw (the dice or a specific number).
to wager or offer to bet (a sum of money): I'll shoot ten bucks.

Photography. to photograph or film.

to put forth (buds, branches, etc.), as a plant.

to slide (a bolt or the like) into or out of its fastening.

to pull (one's cuffs) abruptly toward one's hands.

Golf. to make a final score of (so many strokes): He shot a 73 on the first 18 holes of the tournament.

to take the altitude of (a heavenly body): to shoot the sun.

to detonate; cause to explode, as a charge of explosives.

Aeronautics. to practice (a maneuver) by repetition: to shoot landings.

Slang. to inject (an addictive drug) intravenously.

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

to send forth missiles from a bow, firearm, or the like.

to be discharged, as a firearm.

to hunt with a gun for sport: He fishes, but he doesn't shoot.

to move or pass suddenly or swiftly; spurt: The car shot ahead and was soon out of sight.

Nautical. to acquire momentum and coast into the wind, as a sailboat in a confined area.

to grow forth from the ground, as a stem.

to put forth buds or shoots, as a plant; germinate.

Photography. to photograph.

Movies. to film or begin to film a scene or movie.

to extend; jut: a cape shooting out into the sea.

Sports, Games.

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.
to propel a ball in a specific way: The center shoots left-handed.

to be felt by or flow through or permeate the body: Pain shot through his injured arm. Chills shot up and down her spine.

to carry by force of discharge or momentum: The missile left its pad and shot thousands of miles into space.

Informal. to begin, especially to begin to talk: I want to hear your complaint, so shoot!

noun

the act of shooting with a bow, firearm, etc.

Chiefly British. a hunting trip or expedition.

a match or contest at shooting.

a growing or sprouting, as of a plant.

a new or young growth that shoots off from some portion of a plant.

the amount of such growth.

a young branch, stem, twig, or the like.

a sprout that is not three feet high.

a chute.

Rocketry. the launching of a missile.

Informal. a photographic assignment or session, as for a feature film or a television commercial: The actress is away on a shoot.

Rowing. the interval between strokes.

Mining.

a small tunnel branching off from a larger tunnel.
a narrow vein of ore.

Verb Phrases

shoot down,

to cause to fall by hitting with a shot: They shot down several ducks.
Informal. to disparage, reject, or expose as false or inadequate; debunk: to shoot down a popular theory.

shoot for / at to attempt to obtain or accomplish; strive toward: He is shooting for a higher production level.

shoot up,

to grow rapidly or suddenly.
Informal. to damage or harass by reckless shooting:cowboys shooting up the town.
to wound by shooting: He shot up the lion, but his guide killed it.
Slang. to inject an addictive drug intravenously.

QUIZZES

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Question 1 of 7

What does “vacillate” mean?

to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.

to cause to be empty or unoccupied.

to assent tacitly; agree; consent.

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Idioms for shoot

shoot from the hip, to act or speak without due consideration or deliberation.

shoot off one's mouth / face, Slang.

to talk indiscreetly, especially to reveal confidences, make thoughtless remarks, etc.
to exaggerate: He likes to shoot off his mouth about what a great guy he is.

shoot one's bolt. Informal. bolt¹ (def. 29).

shoot one's wad. Informal. wad¹ (def. 13).

shoot the breeze. Slang. breeze¹ (def. 11).

shoot the bull. Slang. bull³ (def. 2).

shoot the works. Slang. work (def. 55).

Origin of shoot

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb shoten, Old English scēotan; cognate with Dutch schieten, German schiessen, Old Norse skjōta; akin to shot¹

SYNONYMS FOR shoot

3, 5 project, impel, hurl, cast, throw.

17a roll.

30 spring, start, dash, bolt, rush, fly.

36 project, protrude.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shoot ON THESAURUS.COM

Definition for shoot (2 of 2)

shoot²

[ shoot ]

/ ʃut /

interjection

(used to express irritation or astonishment).

Origin of shoot

1875–80, Americanism; alteration of shit, conformed to shoot¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for shoot

Policemen on the show joke about prison riots, bomb threats, and the shooting of unarmed civilians.
'Babylon' Review: The Dumb Lives of Trigger-Happy Cops|Melissa Leon|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He appears only normal, even in video footage from just two minutes before the shooting.
Exclusive: Inside a Cop-Killer’s Final Hours|Michael Daly|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The phone is apparently the one he took from his girlfriend after shooting her outside Baltimore and heading for New York.
Exclusive: Inside a Cop-Killer’s Final Hours|Michael Daly|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And yet—as any private who went through basic can tell you—good weapons training means not shooting wildly 14 times.
A Veteran’s View: NYC Cold War Between Cops and City Hall|Matt Gallagher|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But his motives for shooting John Paul II have remained a mystery shrouded in multiple conspiracy theories.
Pope-Shooter Ali Agca’s Very Weird Vatican Visit|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They were returning from shooting, and had their guns in their hands.
Johnny Ludlow, Sixth Series|Mrs. Henry Wood
The primroses were nearly over, but hyacinths were opening like a blue cloud, and great purple orchises were shooting up.
A Fortunate Term|Angela Brazil
Liberty, ground let in parts of Yorkshire for shooting purposes.
The Slang Dictionary|John Camden Hotten
I remonstrated with him for shooting the bird, for it was not close enough to do any harm.
Trails and Tramps in Alaska and Newfoundland|William S. Thomas
In shooting on the wing he thought that his young friend was superior to any one on the grounds.
The Cave by the Beech Fork|Henry S. Spalding

British Dictionary definitions for shoot

shoot

/ (ʃuːt) /

verb shoots, shooting or shot

(tr) to hit, wound, damage, or kill with a missile discharged from a weapon

to discharge (a missile or missiles) from a weapon

to fire (a weapon) or (of a weapon) to be fired

to send out or be sent out as if from a weaponhe shot questions at her

(intr) to move very rapidly; dart

(tr) to slide or push into or out of a fasteningto shoot a bolt

to emit (a ray of light) or (of a ray of light) to be emitted

(tr) to go or pass quickly over or throughto shoot rapids

(intr) to hunt game with a gun for sport

(tr) to pass over (an area) in hunting game

to extend or cause to extend; project

(tr) to discharge down or as if down a chute

(intr) (of a plant) to produce (buds, branches, etc)

(intr) (of a seed) to germinate

to photograph or record (a sequence, subject, etc)

(tr; usually passive) to variegate or streak, as with colour

sport to hit or propel (the ball, etc) towards the goal

(tr) sport, mainly US and Canadian to score (points, strokes, etc)he shot 72 on the first round

(tr) to plane (a board) to produce a straight edge

(tr) mining to detonate

(tr) to measure the altitude of (a celestial body)

(often foll by up) slang to inject (someone, esp oneself) with (a drug, esp heroin)

shoot a line See line 1 (def. 58)

shoot from the hip to speak bluntly or impulsively without concern for the consequences

shoot one's bolt See bolt 1 (def. 13)

shoot oneself in the foot informal to damage one's own cause inadvertently

shoot one's mouth off slang

to talk indiscreetly
to boast or exaggerate

shoot the breeze See breeze 1 (def. 5)

noun

the act of shooting

the action or motion of something that is shot

the first aerial part of a plant to develop from a germinating seed

any new growth of a plant, such as a bud, young branch, etc

mainly British a meeting or party organized for hunting game with guns

an area or series of coverts and woods where game can be hunted with guns

a steep descent in a stream; rapid

informal a photographic assignment

geology mining a narrow workable vein of ore

obsolete the reach of a shot

the whole shoot slang everything

interjection

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

Word Origin for shoot

Old English sceōtan; related to Old Norse skjōta, Old High German skiozan to shoot, Old Slavonic iskydati to throw out

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

Scientific definitions for shoot

shoot

[ shōōt ]

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

Idioms and Phrases with shoot

shoot

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.

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shoot

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

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