(~s, ~ing, shot)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If someone ~s a person or an animal, they kill them or injure them by firing a bullet or arrow at them.
The police had orders to ~ anyone who attacked them...
The man was shot dead by the police during a raid on his house...
Her father shot himself in the head with a shotgun.
VERB: V n, V n with adj, V n in n
2.
To ~ means to fire a bullet from a weapon such as a gun.
He taunted armed officers by pointing to his head, as if inviting them to ~...
The police came around the corner and they started ~ing at us...
She had never been able to ~ straight...
VERB: V, V at n, V adv/prep
3.
If someone or something ~s in a particular direction, they move in that direction quickly and suddenly.
They had almost reached the boat when a figure shot past them...
VERB: V adv/prep
4.
If you ~ something somewhere or if it ~s somewhere, it moves there quickly and suddenly.
Masters shot a hand across the table and gripped his wrist...
You’d turn on the water, and it would ~ straight up in the air.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V adv/prep
5.
If you ~ a look at someone, you look at them quickly and briefly, often in a way that expresses your feelings.
Mary Ann shot him a rueful look...
The man in the black overcoat shot a penetrating look at the other man.
VERB: V n n, V n at n
6.
If someone ~s to fame, they become famous or successful very quickly.
Alina Reyes shot to fame a few years ago with her extraordinary first novel...
VERB: V to n
7.
When people ~ a film or ~ photographs, they make a film or take photographs using a camera.
He’d love to ~ his film in Cuba...
VERB: V n
•
Shoot is also a noun.
...a barn presently being used for a video ~.
N-COUNT
8.
Shoots are plants that are beginning to grow, or new parts growing from a plant or tree.
N-COUNT: usu pl
9.
In sports such as football or basketball, when someone ~s, they try to score by kicking, throwing, or hitting the ball towards the goal.
Spencer scuttled away from Young to ~ wide when he should have scored...
VERB: V adv/prep
10.
see also ~ing , shot
11.
If you ~ the breeze or ~ the bull with someone, you talk to them about things which are not very serious or important. (mainly AM INFORMAL)
They expected me to sit up and ~ the breeze with them till one or two in the morning...
I also met with Pollack again to kind of ~ the bull.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR with n, pl-n V
12.
to ~ from the hip: see hip