shot
1 Americannoun
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a discharge of a firearm, bow, etc.
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the range of or the distance traveled by a missile in its flight.
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an aimed discharge of a missile.
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an attempt to hit a target with a missile.
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an act or instance of shooting a firearm, bow, etc.
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a small ball or pellet of lead, a number of which are loaded in a cartridge and used for one charge of a shotgun.
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such pellets collectively.
a charge of shot.
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a projectile for discharge from a firearm or cannon.
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such projectiles collectively.
shot and shell.
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a person who shoots; marksman.
He was a good shot.
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Slang. a blow; punch.
The prizefighter was knocked out by a shot in the chin.
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anything like a shot, especially in being sudden and forceful.
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a heavy metal ball that competitors cast as far as possible in shot-putting contests.
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an aimed stroke, throw, or the like, as in certain games, especially in an attempt to score.
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an attempt or try.
He's entitled to a shot at the championship.
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a remark aimed at some person or thing.
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a guess at something.
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a hypodermic injection, as of a serum, vaccine, narcotic, or anaesthetic.
He took a series of immunizing shots for hay fever.
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a small quantity, especially an ounce, of undiluted liquor.
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an amount due, especially at a tavern.
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Photography.
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a photograph, especially a snapshot.
Here's a nice shot of my kids.
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the act of making a photograph, especially a snapshot.
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Movies, Television. a unit of action photographed without interruption and constituting a single camera view.
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an explosive charge in place for detonation, as in mining or quarrying.
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Metallurgy. comparatively hard globules of metal in the body of a casting.
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Nautical. a 90-foot (27-meter) length of anchor cable or chain.
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Checkers. a compulsory series of exchanges, especially when it proves favorable to the aggressor.
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Textiles.
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a pick sent through the shed in a single throw of the shuttle.
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(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.
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a defect in a fabric caused by an unusual color or size in the yarn.
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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)
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to load or supply with shot.
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to weight with shot.
verb (used without object)
idioms
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shot in the arm, 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.
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have / take a shot at, make an attempt at.
I'll have a shot at solving the problem.
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by a long shot. long shot.
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call the shots, to have the power or authority to make decisions or control policy.
Now that he's chairman of the board, he calls the shots.
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call one's shots, to indicate beforehand what one intends to do and how one intends to do it.
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shot in the dark, a wild guess; a random conjecture.
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like a shot, instantly; quickly.
He bolted out of here like a shot.
verb
adjective
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woven so as to present a play of colors; having a changeable color; variegated, as silk.
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spread or streaked with color.
the dawn sky shot with gold.
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in hopelessly bad condition; ruined.
Those sneakers are really shot. His morale is shot.
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Slang. intoxicated.
noun
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the act or an instance of discharging a projectile
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a solid missile, such as an iron ball or a lead pellet, discharged from a firearm
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small round pellets of lead collectively, as used in cartridges
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metal in the form of coarse powder or small pellets
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the distance that a discharged projectile travels or is capable of travelling
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a person who shoots, esp with regard to his ability
he is a good shot
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informal an attempt; effort
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informal a guess or conjecture
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any act of throwing or hitting something, as in certain sports
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the launching of a rocket, missile, etc, esp to a specified destination
a moon shot
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a single photograph
I took 16 shots of the wedding
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a series of frames on cine film concerned with a single event
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a length of film taken by a single camera without breaks, used with others to build up a full motion picture or television film
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informal an injection, as of a vaccine or narcotic drug
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informal a glass of alcoholic drink, esp spirits
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sport a heavy metal ball used in the shot put
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an explosive charge used in blasting
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globules of metal occurring in the body of a casting that are harder than the rest of the casting
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a unit of chain length equal to 75 feet (Brit) or 90 feet (US)
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slang to have control over an organization, course of action, etc
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informal
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to attempt
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to jibe at or vex
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very quickly, esp willingly
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informal anything that regenerates, increases confidence or efficiency, etc
his arrival was a shot in the arm for the company
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a wild guess
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informal that is the right thing to do
verb
verb
adjective
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(of textiles) woven to give a changing colour effect
shot silk
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streaked with colour
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slang exhausted
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slang to get rid of
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of shot1
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English sc(e)ot, (ge)sceot; cognate with German Schoss, Geschoss; akin to shoot 1 ( def. )
Origin of shot2
First recorded in 1830–40, for the adjective
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A tranquil opening shot consists of a beautiful seaside view that’s quickly invaded by buzzing drones carrying packages.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Some of the senators’ offices shot back at AARP’s statement.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
“I’m just smoked, Sar’n,” he explained to his team leader, who shot back, “You don’t have the right to be smoked here.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
“The film might’ve been shot as a documentary,” McElwee says, “but now it’s fiction.”
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
Jonah shot her a resentful glance, but she looked even worse than he felt: she was deathly pale, and her eyes were huge and round, as if she’d just been terrified out of her wits.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
I’m not just trying to take cheap shots at either company.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
The company has the broadest pipeline in its history with about 60 drugs under development in hopes that the more shots on goal, the better.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
After some back and forth, McElwee relented, letting Adrian try his slow zooms and dynamic shots.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
The company uses the technology mostly in postproduction processes and uses generative AI for “really complicated shots and sequences,” Sarandos said during the call.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
People in the room told Townshend there had been two shots.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
“Keep your guns shotted and your powder dry!”
From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham
Within the week that followed, the broad views of many a Southern statesman were manifest in the shotted guns trained on Sumter.
From From School to Battle-field A Story of the War Days by King, Charles
When this was accomplished, the Kearsarge was turned shortly round and steered immediately for the Alabama, Captain Winslow desiring to get within close range, as his guns were shotted with five-seconds shell.
From An Englishman's View of the Battle between the Alabama and the Kearsarge An Account of the Naval Engagement in the British Channel, on Sunday June 19th, 1864 by Edge, Frederick Milnes
The guns were shotted, and we could distinctly see the splash of the marble balls as they dropped into the water.
From Journal of a Visit to Constantinople and Some of the Greek Islands in the Spring and Summer of 1833 by Auldjo, John
Some of the goldseekers fired a salute with shotted guns when, poised on the mountain side, they looked down upon a stream flowing to the northwest.
From The Trail of the Goldseekers A Record of Travel in Prose and Verse by Garland, Hamlin
“Maybe I should stop drop shotting and start winning,” Melzer said with a laugh.
From New York Times ● May 27, 2010
When bass are near a weedy bottom, Lillegard favors vertical jigging or drop shotting above the vegetation.
From Time Magazine Archive
Not being able to aggravate us into shotting our guns, what must he turn to and do but load with stone—and look at that flag!
From The Honour of the Flag by Russell, W. Clark (William Clark)
You know my fun is a sort of fizz—there's nothing but a flash—nothing to hurt—no shotting.
From Charlemont; Or, the Pride of the Village. a Tale of Kentucky by Simms, William Gilmore
Rifles should always be cleaned from the breach, thus avoiding possible injury to the rifling at the muzzle, which would affect the shotting adversely.
From Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Cavalry of the Army of the United States 1917 to be also used by Engineer Companies (Mounted) for Cavalry Instruction and Training by Department, U. S. War
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
