shot

shot¹ [ʃɔt US ʃa:t] n

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1¦(gun)¦

2¦(bullets)¦

3¦(attempt to score)¦

4¦(photograph)¦

5¦(film/tv)¦

6¦(attempt)¦

7 give something your best shot

8 be a long shot

9 a 10 to 1 shot/50 to 1 shot etc

10 a shot in the dark

11¦(critical remark)¦

12 like a shot

13 a shot across the bows/a warning shot (across the bows)

14 big shot

15¦(drink)¦

16¦(drug)¦

17 a shot in the arm

18¦(heavy ball)¦

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[: Old English; Origin: scot]

1.) ¦(GUN)¦

a) an act of firing a gun

▪ He pulled out his rifle and fired three shots .

▪ The first shot missed my head by just a few inches.

▪ The shot hit the raider in the upper chest and killed him instantly.

▪ A crazy man took a shot at her (=tried to shoot her) from a rooftop.

▪ He fired off a volley of shots from his semi-automatic rifle.

▪ The policeman was killed by a single shot .

b) the sound of a gun being fired

▪ Where were you when you heard the shot?

▪ Two shots rang out (=could be heard) , and security guards rushed over, guns drawn.

c) a good/bad etc shot

someone who is good, bad etc at shooting

▪ Sergeant Cooper is an excellent shot.

2.) ¦(BULLETS)¦[U]

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)¦

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)¦

a photograph

= ↑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)¦

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)¦ informal

an attempt to do something or achieve something, especially something difficult

shot at (doing) sth

▪ 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 sth 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) AmE 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)¦

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)¦

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)¦ especially AmE an ↑injection of a drug (=when it is put into the body with a needle)

British Equivalent: jab

▪ 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)¦

a heavy metal ball that competitors try to throw as far as possible in the sport of ↑shot put

→call the shots at ↑call¹ (9), by a long chalk/shot at ↑long¹ (21), long shot at ↑long¹ (18), ↑buckshot, ↑gunshot, ↑snapshot, ↑pot shot

shot ²

shot² adj [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 sb/sth

BrE spoken to get rid of someone or something

▪ I know the director wants shot of me.

3.) be shot through with sth

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

shot ³

shot³

the past tense and participle of ↑shoot