shot

comparative more shot · superlative most shot

1. Tired, weary.

   I have to go to bed now; I’m shot.

   Synonyms: exhausted, fried, bleareyed, bleary, bleary-eyed, bone-tired, bushed, tired out

2. Discharged, cleared, or rid of something.

   Tell me true, are you not glad to be fairly shot of him?

   1819, Jedediah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter V, in Tales of My Landlord, Third Series. […], volume III (The Bride of Lammermoor), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 62

   Synonyms: free

3. colloquialWorn out or broken.

   The rear axle will have to be replaced. It’s shot.

   2 more examples

   ... but he finds it hard to resist helping the boss's sister, who also works there and whose body "is more shot than mine."

   2004, Garret Keizer, Help: The Original Human Dilemma, page 50

   Thompson girl, I'm stranded at the Unique Motel / Thompson girl, winterfighter's shot on the car as well

   1998, The Tragically Hip, “Thompson Girl”, in Phantom Power

   Synonyms: dilapidated, wrecked, clapped out, damaged, defective, deteriorated, dilapidated, effete

4. especially silkWoven from warp and weft strands of different colours, resulting in an iridescent appearance.

   The cloak was shot through with silver threads.

1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of shoot

plural shots

1. countableuncountableThe result of launching a projectile or bullet.

   The shot was wide of the mark.

2. countableuncountablehobbiesThe act of launching a ball or similar object toward a goal.

   They took the lead on a last-minute shot.

   1 more example

   England's attacking impetus was limited to one shot from Lampard that was comfortably collected by keeper Iker Casillas, but for all Spain's domination of the ball his England counterpart Joe Hart was unemployed.

   2011 November 12, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, in BBC Sport

3. countableathleticsThe heavy iron ball used for the shot put.

   The shot flew twenty metres, and nearly landed on the judge's foot.

4. uncountableathleticsThe athletics event of shot put.

   For two years Templeton has given individual attention to Krenz. The young man has reciprocated by giving at least two hours each day to practice in the shot and discus.

   1929 July 4, Harry L. Borba, “The Superman of Track”, in The Vernon Daily Record, volume 4, number 209, Vernon, Texas, page 6

5. uncountableSmall metal balls, or other hard objects of various shapes, used as ammunition, especially in shotgun shells or artillery shells.

   The bank robbers' handloaded shotgun shells used rock salt as the shot.

   1 more example

   Steel shot, unlike lead shot, avoids contaminating the land with spent lead.

6. historicaluncountablegovernmentMetal or stone balls (or similar), not necessarily small, used as ammunition.

   The shot for this ship's deck guns, in that day, consisted only of solid iron balls such as ten-pounders.

   1 more example

   Accurſt be he that firſt inuented war, They knew not, ah, they knew not ſimple men, How thoſe were hit by pelting Cannon ſhot, Stand ſtaggering like a quiuering Aſpen leafe, Fearing the force of Boreas boiſtrous blaſts.

   c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene iv

7. countableuncountableSomeone who shoots (a gun, longbow, etc.); a person reckoned as to their aim.

   He'd make a bad soldier, since he's a lousy shot.

   4 more examples

   Sir William was a Shot and could not support the idea of losing such a Day, even for such a Cause.

   1788, Jane Austen, ‘Sir William Mountague’, Juvenilia

   "But tell me, was it he who shot that goblin-hare down by Christiania, which you told me about once?" "Oh, that hare! No, that was a professional shot from those parts called Brandte-Lars."

   1886, Peter Christen Asbjø￵rnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 78

   As a shot, I will only refer you to my own game-book; and if, after examining the records contained therein, you can show me an equally proficient man in that special line, well — I'll take off my hat to him.

   1902, Robert Marshall Grade, The Haunted Major

   His lineage is legitimate. He has had an excellent education, possesses no debts, never hurt an animal or a woman, and is even a decent shot.

   2020 December 25, Chris Van Dusen, “Diamond of the First Water”, in Bridgerton, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Anthony Bridgerton

8. countablefigurativelyuncountableAn opportunity or attempt.

   I'd like just one more shot at winning this game.

   3 more examples

   You won't see me buying a round of Jägerbombs for girls half my age because I know when I have no shot.

   2009, David P. Murphy, Phil Torcivia, Rebecca Shockley, Such a Nice Guy

   There are no decent galactic dating services. To have a shot at romance, you need to talk to people.

   2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC

   Spain’s acting prime minister, the socialist leader Pedro Sánchez, has a fresh, if fraught, shot at returning to power after his conservative rival Alberto Núñez Feijóo failed in his attempt to take office in an ill-tempered investiture debate that followed July’s inconclusive general election.

   2023 September 29, Sam Jones, “Alberto Núñez Feijóo fails to win Spanish MPs’ backing to become PM”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

9. countableuncountableA remark or comment, especially one which is critical or insulting.

   Schwarzenegger also is taking nasty shots from his own party, as GOP conservatives bash some of his appointments as Kennedyesque and traitorous to party values.

   2003 November 16, Carla Marinucci, “On inauguration eve, 'Aaaarnold' stands tall”, in San Francisco Chronicle, retrieved 18 Apr 2009

10. UScountableslanguncountablehobbiesA punch or other physical blow.
11. countableuncountableA measure of alcohol, usually spirits, as taken either from a shot-glass or directly from the bottle, equivalent to about 44 milliliters or 1.5 ounces. ("pony shot"= 30 milliliters; 1 fluid ounce)

    I'd like a shot of whisky in my coffee.

    1 more example

    You can kiss a hundred boys in bars Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling

    2024 April 5, Chappell Roan, Justin Tranter, Dan Nigro, “Good Luck, Babe!”performed by Chappell Roan

12. countableuncountableA single serving of espresso.
13. countableuncountableA charge to be paid, a scot or shout.

    Drink up. It's his shot.

    2 more examples

    Here no shots are where all sharers be.

    1614–1615, Homer, “(please specify the book number)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. […], London: […] Rich[ard] Field [and William Jaggard], for Nathaniell Butter, published 1615, →OCLC; republished in The Odysseys of Homer, […], volume (please specify the book number), London: John Russell Smith, […], 1857, →OCLC

    A man is never […] welcome to a place till some certain shot be paid and the hostess say "Welcome".

    c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]

14. countableuncountableA reckoning, a share of a tavern bill, etc.

    Yet still while I have got / Enough to pay the shot / Of Boniface, both gruff and greedy O!

    1835, The Fisher's Garland

15. countableuncountableartsA single snapshot or an unbroken sequence of photographic film exposures, or the digital equivalent; an unedited sequence of frames.

    We got a good shot of the hummingbirds mating.

    2 more examples

    Even if everyone else is taking close-up shots of the crumpled body of a rock climber who fell to his death, and your photographer did too, maybe you don't feel the need to air that shot.

    2004, Robert Thompson, Cindy Malone, The Broadcast Journalism Handbook: A Television News Survival Guide, →ISBN, page 4

    On arrival at Birmingham New Street, I make my way upstairs to the mezzanine to get shots of an almost deserted concourse, polka-dotted with social distancing circles like some strange board-game.

    2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 68

16. AustraliaCanadaUScountableuncountablemedicineA vaccination; an injection for the purpose of vaccination.

    tetanus shot

    2 more examples

    I went to the doctor to get a shot for malaria.

    Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Gray took their daughter, Venora, to Dr. W. J. Buck for a tetanus shot the first of the week in order to guard against infection following a severe injury to her foot caused by stepping on a broken bottle in the canal last week.

    1936 August 28, “Lake Harbor News”, in The Everglades News, Canal Point, Florida, page 3

17. countableuncommonuncountableAny injection.

    Chung Seo-un has traces of opium shots in her upper right arm, which is swollen and has hardened bloody lumps like stones.

    2020 August 24, The Research Team of the War, Women’s Human Rights Center, Stories that Make History: The Experience and Memories of the Japanese Military ›Comfort Girls-Women‹, Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, →ISBN

    1 more example

    […] allowed heroin addicts to receive daily heroin shots supervised by a nurse in a clinical setting. Switzerland has since expanded this program due to evidence that crime rates and unemployment rates among participants drop during participation (266-7).

    2011 August 22, Philip J. Cook, Jens Ludwig, Justin McCrary, Controlling Crime: Strategies and Tradeoffs, University of Chicago Press, →ISBN, page 235

18. countableinformaluncountableball gamesA home run that scores one, two, or three runs (a four run home run is usually referred to as a grand slam).

    His solo shot in the seventh inning ended up winning the game.

19. countableuncountableUS federal prison systemWritten documentation of a behavior infraction.
20. countableuncountablebiologyA cast of one or more nets.
21. countableuncountablebiologyA place or spot for setting nets.
22. countableuncountablebiologyA single draft or catch of fish made.

present singular third person shots · participle present shotting · participle past shotted · past shotted

1. transitiveTo load (a gun) with shot.

   His order to me was, to see the top Chains put upon the Cables, and the Guns shotted.

   1681, Robert Knox, An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon

2. Multicultural London EnglishtransitiveTo sell illegal drugs; to deal.

   The mandem all used to go round there and get head off her, the sister blowing the man line by line while her brother shotted downstairs in the stairwell.

   2011, “Chyna”, in How I Escaped a Girl Gang: Rolling in a London Girl Gang

   1 more example

   [Verse 2:Kano]:If you've been shotting in the manor from way back when and you ain't on a kilo ting, I don't wanna hear about cunch and food and tings, man don't do those tings.

   2016 March 4, “3 Wheel-Ups” (track 4), in Made in the Manor, performed by Kano (British musician),Giggs (rapper),Wiley (musician)

3. obsoletetransitiveTo feed small shot to (a horse), as a fraudulent means of disguising broken-windedness.

1. New ZealandcolloquialAn expression of gratitude, similar to thank you.