I. shot 1 S2 W2 /ʃɒt $ ʃɑːt/ BrE AmE noun
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: scot ]
1 . GUN [countable]
a) an act of firing a gun:
He pulled out his rifle and fired three shots.
She was killed by a single shot to the head.
b) the sound of a gun being fired:
Where were you when you heard the shot?
c) a good/bad etc shot someone who is good, bad etc at shooting:
Sergeant Cooper is an excellent shot.
2 . BULLETS [uncountable]
a) small metal balls that are shot, many at a time, from a ↑ shotgun
b) old use large metal balls that are shot from a ↑ cannon
3 . ATTEMPT TO SCORE [countable] an attempt in sport to throw, kick, or hit the ball towards the place where you can get a point:
Shaw took a shot at the goal from the halfway line, but missed.
Good shot!
4 . PHOTOGRAPH [countable] a photograph SYN picture
shot of
a close-up shot of a demonstrator being beaten by a policeman
I managed to get some good shots of the carnival.
We hired a photographer to take some publicity shots.
action shots of football players (=ones taken of people while they are moving)
⇨ ↑ mugshot
5 . FILM/TV [countable] the view of something in a film or television programme that is produced by having the camera in a particular position:
In the opening shot, we see Travolta’s feet walking down the sidewalk.
6 . ATTEMPT [countable] informal an attempt to do something or achieve something, especially something difficult
shot at (doing) something
This is her first shot at directing a play.
If Lewis won his next fight, he would be guaranteed a shot at the title (=chance to win the title) .
I decided to have a shot at decorating the house myself.
I didn’t think I had much chance of winning the race, but I thought I’d give it a shot (=try to do it) .
The network finally gave Keaton a shot at presenting his own show.
7 . give something your best shot to make as much effort as you can to achieve something difficult:
This case is going to be tough, but I promise I’ll give it my best shot.
Lydia didn’t get the job, but at least she gave it her best shot.
8 . be a long shot
a) used to say that a plan is worth trying, even though you think it is unlikely to succeed:
It’s a long shot, but someone might recognise her from the photo and be able to tell us where she lives.
b) American English if someone is a long shot, they are not likely to be chosen for a job or to win an election, competition etc:
Turner is a long shot to win next month’s mayoral election.
9 . a 10 to 1 shot/50 to 1 shot etc a horse, dog etc in a race, whose chances of winning are expressed as numbers
10 . a shot in the dark an attempt to guess something without having any facts or definite ideas:
My answer to the last question was a complete shot in the dark.
11 . CRITICAL REMARK [countable] a remark that is intended to criticize or hurt someone:
I’m not going to sit here listening to you two take shots at each other all night.
She couldn’t resist a parting shot (=one that you make just before you leave) – ‘And you were a lousy lover!’
That was a cheap shot (=one that is unfair and unreasonable) !
12 . like a shot if you do something like a shot, you do it very quickly and eagerly:
If he asked me to go to Africa with him, I’d go like a shot!
13 . a shot across the bows/a warning shot (across the bows) something you say or do to warn someone that you oppose what they are doing and will try to make them stop it – used especially in news reports:
The president’s own supporters are firing a warning shot across his bows.
14 . big shot an important or powerful person, especially in business:
a big shot in the record business
15 . DRINK [countable] a small amount of a strong alcoholic drink
shot of
a shot of tequila
a shot glass (=a small glass for strong alcoholic drinks)
16 . DRUG [countable] especially American English an ↑ injection of a drug (=when it is put into the body with a needle) SYN jab British English :
Have you had your typhoid and cholera shots?
17 . a shot in the arm something that makes you more confident or more successful:
The new factory will give the local economy a much-needed shot in the arm.
18 . HEAVY BALL [countable] a heavy metal ball that competitors try to throw as far as possible in the sport of ↑ shot put
⇨ call the shots at ↑ call 1 (9), ⇨ by a long chalk/shot at ↑ long 1 (21), ⇨ long shot at ↑ long 1 (18), ⇨ ↑ buckshot , ↑ gunshot , ↑ snapshot , ↑ pot shot
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ fire a shot
The passenger in the car fired three shots.
▪ take a shot at somebody (=fire a shot trying to hit someone)
Someone took a shot at her, but missed.
▪ a shot hits somebody/something
The shot hit the burglar in the chest and killed him instantly.
▪ a shot misses somebody/something (=doesn’t hit them)
The first shot missed my head by inches.
▪ a shot rings out (=is heard)
Suddenly, two shots rang out.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + shot
▪ a pistol/rifle shot
A pistol shot rang out in the darkness.
▪ a single shot (=just one shot)
He died from a single shot to his heart.
▪ the fatal shot (=the shot that killed someone)
It wasn’t clear who had fired the fatal shot.
▪ a warning shot (=one fired as a warning to someone)
Police fired warning shots into the air.
▪ a good shot (=one that hits what you aim at)
It was difficult to get a good shot in the dense forest.
■ phrases
▪ a volley of shots (=a number of shots fired quickly)
He fired off a volley of shots from his rifle.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ photograph a picture taken using a camera:
Visitors are not allowed to take photographs inside the museum.
|
our wedding photographs
▪ photo informal a photograph:
a way of displaying your digital photos
|
Do you want me to take your photo?
▪ picture a photograph of someone or something:
I saw her picture in the paper the other day.
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This is a really good picture of Sarah.
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Can I take your picture?
▪ snap British English informal , snapshot especially American English a photograph that you take quickly and without thinking carefully about how it will look, for example when you are on holiday:
Patrick showed me his holiday snaps.
|
She showed me a snapshot of her three children.
▪ shot informal a photograph – used especially by people who often take photographs:
I got some great shots of Mount Fuji.
|
It's a lovely shot.
▪ print a photograph that has been printed on photographic paper:
a set of 4 by 6 inch prints
II. shot 2 BrE AmE adjective [not before noun]
1 . spoken in bad condition because of being used too much or treated badly:
My back tires are shot.
My nerves were shot to pieces after my driving test.
2 . be/get/want shot of somebody/something British English spoken to get rid or want to get rid of someone or something:
I know the director wants shot of me.
3 . be shot through with something
a) if a piece of cloth is shot through with a colour, it has very small threads of that colour woven into it:
a fine silk shot through with gold threads
b) to have a lot of a particular quality or feeling:
a charming collection of stories, shot through with a gentle humour
III. shot 3 BrE AmE
the past tense and past participle of ↑ shoot