shotten

American  

[shot-n] / ˈʃɒt n /

adjective

1. (of fish, especially herring) having recently ejected the spawn.

2. Obsolete. (of a bone) dislocated.

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shotten British  

/ ˈʃɒtən /

adjective

1. (of fish, esp herring) having recently spawned

2. archaic worthless or undesirable

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Etymology

Origin of shotten

1175–1225; Middle English, past participle of shoot ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shotten

I beleave thee; nay, I am a right Lovell I, I look like a shotten herring now for't.

From A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 2 by Bullen, A. H. (Arthur Henry)

Go thy ways,     old Jack, die when thou wilt; if manhood, good manhood, be not     forgot upon the face of the earth, then am I a shotten herring.

From The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by Shakespeare, William

Now when their father, who was a man shotten in years, saw that his two eldest sons hated their brother, he feared lest after his death trouble should befall him from them.

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 06 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

Forth then shotten these children two, And they did never lin, Until they came to merry Churchlees, To merry Churchlees within.

From Ballads of Robin Hood and other Outlaws Popular Ballads of the Olden Times - Fourth Series by Sidgwick, Frank

Go thy ways, old Jack; die when thou wilt: if manhood, good manhood, be not forgot upon the face of the earth, then am I a shotten herring.

From McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader by McGuffey, William Holmes