shot 1
— shotless , adj. — shotlike , adj.
/shot/ , n. , pl. shots or, for 6, 8, shot; v. , shotted, shotting .
n.
1. a discharge of a firearm, bow, etc.
2. the range of or the distance traveled by a missile in its flight.
3. an aimed discharge of a missile.
4. an attempt to hit a target with a missile.
5. an act or instance of shooting a firearm, bow, etc.
6. a small ball or pellet of lead, a number of which are loaded in a cartridge and used for one charge of a shotgun.
7. such pellets collectively: a charge of shot.
8. a projectile for discharge from a firearm or cannon.
9. such projectiles collectively: shot and shell.
10. a person who shoots; marksman: He was a good shot.
11. Slang. a blow; punch: The prizefighter was knocked out by a shot in the chin.
12. anything like a shot, esp. in being sudden and forceful.
13. a heavy metal ball that competitors cast as far as possible in shot-putting contests.
14. an aimed stroke, throw, or the like, as in certain games, esp. in an attempt to score.
15. an attempt or try: He's entitled to a shot at the championship.
16. a remark aimed at some person or thing.
17. a guess at something.
18. a hypodermic injection, as of a serum, vaccine, narcotic, or anaesthetic: He took a series of immunizing shots for hay fever.
19. a small quantity, esp. an ounce, of undiluted liquor.
20. an amount due, esp. at a tavern.
21. Photog.
a. a photograph, esp. a snapshot: Here's a nice shot of my kids.
b. the act of making a photograph, esp. a snapshot.
22. Motion Pictures , Television. a unit of action photographed without interruption and constituting a single camera view.
23. an explosive charge in place for detonation, as in mining or quarrying.
24. Metall. comparatively hard globules of metal in the body of a casting.
25. Naut. a 90-foot (27-m) length of anchor cable or chain.
26. Checkers. a compulsory series of exchanges, especially when it proves favorable to the aggressor.
27. Textiles.
a. a pick sent through the shed in a single throw of the shuttle.
b. (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.
c. a defect in a fabric caused by an unusual color or size in the yarn.
28. a chance with odds for and against; a bet: a 20 to 1 shot that his horse will come in first.
29. by a long shot . See long shot (def. 4).
30. call one's shots , Informal. to indicate beforehand what one intends to do and how one intends to do it.
31. call the shots , Informal. to have the power or authority to make decisions or control policy: Now that he's chairman of the board, he calls the shots.
32. have or take a shot at , make an attempt at: I'll have a shot at solving the problem.
33. like a shot , instantly; quickly: He bolted out of here like a shot.
34. shot in the arm , Informal. 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.
35. shot in the dark , Informal. a wild guess; a random conjecture.
v.t.
36. to load or supply with shot.
37. to weight with shot.
v.i.
38. to manufacture shot, as in a shot tower.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE sc ( e ) ot, ( ge ) sceot; c. G Schoss, Geschoss; akin to SHOOT ]
Syn. 15. chance, go, essay.
shot 2
/shot/ , v.
1. pt. and pp. of shoot .
adj.
2. woven so as to present a play of colors; having a changeable color; variegated, as silk.
3. spread or streaked with color: the dawn sky shot with gold.
4. in hopelessly bad condition; ruined: Those sneakers are really shot. His morale is shot.
5. Slang. intoxicated.