shot

[ shot ]

/ ʃɒt /

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See synonyms for: shot / shots on Thesaurus.com

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

a discharge of a firearm, bow, etc.

the range of or the distance traveled by a missile in its flight.

an aimed discharge of a missile.

an attempt to hit a target with a missile.

an act or instance of shooting a firearm, bow, etc.

a small ball or pellet of lead, a number of which are loaded in a cartridge and used for one charge of a shotgun.

such pellets collectively: a charge of shot.

a projectile for discharge from a firearm or cannon.

such projectiles collectively: shot and shell.

a person who shoots; marksman: He was a good shot.

Slang. a blow; punch: The prizefighter was knocked out by a shot in the chin.

anything like a shot, especially in being sudden and forceful.

a heavy metal ball that competitors cast as far as possible in shot-putting contests.

an aimed stroke, throw, or the like, as in certain games, especially in an attempt to score.

an attempt or try: He's entitled to a shot at the championship.

a remark aimed at some person or thing.

a guess at something.

a hypodermic injection, as of a serum, vaccine, narcotic, or anaesthetic: He took a series of immunizing shots for hay fever.

a small quantity, especially an ounce, of undiluted liquor.

an amount due, especially at a tavern.

Photography.

a photograph, especially a snapshot: Here's a nice shot of my kids.
the act of making a photograph, especially a snapshot.

Movies, Television. a unit of action photographed without interruption and constituting a single camera view.

an explosive charge in place for detonation, as in mining or quarrying.

Metallurgy. comparatively hard globules of metal in the body of a casting.

Nautical. a 90-foot (27-meter) length of anchor cable or chain.

Checkers. a compulsory series of exchanges, especially when it proves favorable to the aggressor.

Textiles.

a pick sent through the shed in a single throw of the shuttle.
(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.
a defect in a fabric caused by an unusual color or size in the yarn.

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.

to load or supply with shot.

to weight with shot.

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

to manufacture shot, as in a shot tower.

OTHER WORDS FOR shot

15 chance, go, essay.

See synonyms for shot on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about shot

by a long shot. long shot (def. 4).

call one's shots, Informal. to indicate beforehand what one intends to do and how one intends to do it.

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.

have / take a shot at, make an attempt at: I'll have a shot at solving the problem.

like a shot, instantly; quickly: He bolted out of here like a shot.

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.

shot in the dark, Informal. a wild guess; a random conjecture.

Origin of shot

before 900; Middle English; Old English sc(e)ot, (ge)sceot; cognate with German Schoss, Geschoss; akin to shoot¹

OTHER WORDS FROM shot

shotless, adjectiveshotlike, adjective

Words nearby shot

Shoshone Cavern, Shoshone Dam, Shoshone Falls, Shoshoni, Shostakovich, shot, shot-blasting, shot clock, shote, shot effect, shot glass

Other definitions for shot (2 of 2)

shot²

[ shot ]

/ ʃɒt /

verb

simple past tense and past participle of shoot¹.

adjective

woven so as to present a play of colors; having a changeable color; variegated, as silk.

spread or streaked with color: the dawn sky shot with gold.

in hopelessly bad condition; ruined: Those sneakers are really shot. His morale is shot.

Slang. intoxicated.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use shot in a sentence

Combine that with scarcity, and you get everyone scrambling to get a shot.
Don’t hate the vaccine tourists, hate the vaccine game|Jen Kirby|February 12, 2021|Vox
They are also on the ice for the highest expected goals against per 60 minutes, meaning they allow a very high quality of shot.
The NHL’s Canadian teams are scoring a lot. Like, a lot, a lot.|Neil Greenberg|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
Nate Schmidt and Tyler Myers allow the third-highest rate of shots against after adjusting for shot quality and Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse and Ethan Bear rank as the fifth-worst.
The NHL’s Canadian teams are scoring a lot. Like, a lot, a lot.|Neil Greenberg|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
She was preparing to brave the weather—and drive for the first time since the start of the pandemic—because she was concerned that this would be her only chance to get a shot.
Chicago thinks Zocdoc can help solve its vaccine chaos|Lindsay Muscato|February 12, 2021|MIT Technology Review

He noted that although just 24 health departments and 80 hospitals initially were authorized to administer shots, there now are 2,300 “points of access” to get vaccinated across the state.
South Africa and U.K. coronavirus variants detected in D.C.; Maryland to open third mass vaccination site|Erin Cox, Julie Zauzmer, Rachel Chason|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
The al Qaeda-linked gunmen shot back, but only managed to injure one officer before they were taken out.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The cartoonist, better known as Charb, was shot dead Wednesday.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The gunman hardly broke stride as he nonetheless shot Merabet in the head, killing him.
The Muslim Cop Killed by Terrorists|Michael Daly|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A policewoman was shot dead this morning while law enforcement searched for the Charlie Lebdo killers.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“I heard them say, ‘He was shot twice,’” the father, Joseph Dossi, remembers.
Shot Down During the NYPD Slowdown|Michael Daly|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
There was no fighting; a rifle shot now and then from the crests where we saw our fellows clearly.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
A was an Archer, who shot at a frog; B was a Butcher, and had a great dog.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
Dockier, a prominent leader of the Levelers, in the times of the English commonwealth, was shot by order of the government.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
There was not a moment to lose, for one well-directed shot might exterminate half of us.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
Then, having shot nothing that day, he turned towards the Pole with a feeling of disappointment.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for shot (1 of 2)

shot¹

/ (ʃɒt) /

noun

the act or an instance of discharging a projectile

plural shot a solid missile, such as an iron ball or a lead pellet, discharged from a firearm

small round pellets of lead collectively, as used in cartridges
metal in the form of coarse powder or small pellets

the distance that a discharged projectile travels or is capable of travelling

a person who shoots, esp with regard to his abilityhe is a good shot

informal an attempt; effort

informal a guess or conjecture

any act of throwing or hitting something, as in certain sports

the launching of a rocket, missile, etc, esp to a specified destinationa moon shot

a single photographI took 16 shots of the wedding
a series of frames on cine film concerned with a single event
a length of film taken by a single camera without breaks, used with others to build up a full motion picture or television film

informal an injection, as of a vaccine or narcotic drug

informal a glass of alcoholic drink, esp spirits

sport a heavy metal ball used in the shot put

an explosive charge used in blasting

globules of metal occurring in the body of a casting that are harder than the rest of the casting

a unit of chain length equal to 75 feet (Brit) or 90 feet (US)

call the shots slang to have control over an organization, course of action, etc

have a shot at informal

to attempt
Australian to jibe at or vex

like a shot very quickly, esp willingly

shot in the arm informal anything that regenerates, increases confidence or efficiency, etchis arrival was a shot in the arm for the company

shot in the dark a wild guess

that's the shot Australian informal that is the right thing to do

verb shots, shotting or shotted

(tr) to weight or load with shot

Word Origin for shot

Old English scot; related to Old Norse skot, Old High German scoz missile; see shoot

British Dictionary definitions for shot (2 of 2)

shot²

/ (ʃɒt) /

verb

the past tense and past participle of shoot

adjective

(of textiles) woven to give a changing colour effectshot silk

streaked with colour

slang exhausted

get shot of or get shut of slang to get rid of

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with shot

shot

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.

shot

OTHER WORDS FOR shot

Idioms about shot

Origin of shot

OTHER WORDS FROM shot

Words nearby shot

Other definitions for shot (2 of 2)

Words related to shot

How to use shot in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for shot (1 of 2)

Word Origin for shot

British Dictionary definitions for shot (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with shot