shootout

[shoot-out]

noun

1. a gunfight that must end in defeat for one side or the other, as between gunfighters in the Old West, criminal groups, or law-enforcement officers and criminals.

2. Slang.,  any military conflict or skirmish.

3. Slang.,  a high-scoring or intensely played game or tournament, as of basketball or ice hockey.

4. Soccer.,  a method of breaking a tie score at the end of overtime in which five players from each team alternate shooting at the opponent's goal, starting from a spot 35 yards (39 meters) from the goal line, in an attempt to kick the ball past the rival goalkeeper in under five seconds.

Word History and Origins

Origin of shootout¹

1945–50; noun use of verb phrase shoot ( it ) out to settle a dispute with firearms

Example Sentences

But they fell at the first hurdle, outgunned by Belgium in another chaotic shootout after losing 4-3 in Brussels in June.

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On Sept. 9, 2023, a man named Scott Spivey was killed in a shootout on a country road in South Carolina.

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It is almost three months since they beat Spain in the Euros final in a dramatic penalty shootout - so what could change and what are the main questions for Wiegman?

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“The defense made some big stops. We expected it to be a shootout.”

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With three teams level at the top of Group A, the remainder of the campaign effectively becomes a shootout to reach top spot.

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Related Words

• bout