shot first and asked questions later

A form of shoot first and ask questions later — To take hasty, immediate action with serious consequences, without first adequately investigating the situation.

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Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of shoot first and ask questions later
Cite this entry
APA

shot first and asked questions later. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shot%20first%20and%20asked%20questions%20later

MLA

“shot first and asked questions later.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shot%20first%20and%20asked%20questions%20later. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shot first and asked questions later,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shot%20first%20and%20asked%20questions%20later.

Source: shot first and asked questions later on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.