v., n., & int.
--v. (past and past part. shot)
1. tr. a cause (a gun, bow, etc.) to fire. b discharge (a bullet, arrow, etc.) from a gun, bow, etc. c kill or wound (a person, animal, etc.) with a bullet, arrow, etc. from a gun, bow, etc.
2 intr. discharge a gun etc. esp. in a specified way (shoots well).
3 tr. send out, discharge, propel, etc., esp. violently or swiftly (shot out the contents; shot a glance at his neighbour).
4 intr. (often foll. by out, along, forth, etc.) come or go swiftly or vigorously.
5 intr. a (of a plant etc.) put forth buds etc. b (of a bud etc.) appear.
6 intr. a hunt game etc. with a gun. b (usu. foll. by over) shoot game over an estate etc.
7 tr. shoot game in or on (coverts, an estate, etc.).
8 tr. film or photograph (a scene, film, etc.).
9 tr. (also absol.) esp. Football a score (a goal). b take a shot at (the goal).
10 tr. (of a boat) sweep swiftly down or under (a bridge, rapids, falls, etc.).
11 tr. move (a door-bolt) to fasten or unfasten a door etc.
12 tr. let (rubbish, a load, etc.) fall or slide from a container, lorry, etc.
13 intr. a (usu. foll. by through, up, etc.) (of a pain) pass with a stabbing sensation. b (of part of the body) be intermittently painful.
14 intr. (often foll. by out) project abruptly (the mountain shoots out against the sky).
15 tr. (often foll. by up) sl. inject esp. oneself with (a drug).
16 tr. US colloq. a play a game of (craps, pool, etc.). b throw (a die or dice).
17 tr. Golf colloq. make (a specified score) for a round or hole.
18 tr. colloq. pass (traffic-lights at red).
19 tr. plane (the edge of a board) accurately.
20 intr. Cricket (of a ball) dart along the ground after pitching.
--n.
1. the act or an instance of shooting.
2 a a young branch or sucker. b the new growth of a plant.
3 Brit. a a hunting party, expedition, etc. b land shot over for game.
4 CHUTE(1).
5 a rapid in a stream.
--int. colloq.
1. a demand for a reply, information, etc.
2 US euphem. an exclamation of disgust, anger, etc. (see SHIT).
Phrases and idioms:
shoot ahead come quickly to the front of competitors etc. shoot one's bolt see BOLT(1). shoot down
1. kill (a person) by shooting.
2 cause (an aircraft, its pilot, etc.) to crash by shooting.
3 argue effectively against (a person, argument, etc.). shoot it out sl. engage in a decisive gun-battle. shoot a line sl. talk pretentiously. shoot one's mouth off sl. talk too much or indiscreetly. shoot-out colloq. a decisive gun battle. shoot through Austral. & NZ sl. depart; escape, abscond.
shoot up
1. grow rapidly, esp. (of a person) grow taller.
2 rise suddenly.
3 terrorize (a district) by indiscriminate shooting.
4 sl. sense 15 of v. the whole shoot the whole shooting match (see SHOOTING).
Derivatives:
shootable adj.
Etymology: OE sceotan f. Gmc: cf. SHEET(1), SHOT(1), SHUT