shot

1 noun GUNS/SHOOTING

1 fire a shot to fire a gun: He pulled out his rifle and fired three shots.

2 take a shot at to try to kill or injure someone by firing a gun at them: Someone took a shot at him as he was getting out of his car.

3 SOUND (C) the sound of a gun being fired: Where were you when you heard the shot?

4 BULLETS (U)

a) small metal balls for shooting from a shotgun

b) old use large metal balls for shooting from a cannon 1

5 a good shot/bad shot someone who can shoot a gun well, badly etc: Sergeant Cooper is an excellent shot.

SPORT

6 (C) an attempt to throw, kick, or hit the ball towards the place where you can get a point: Shaw made the shot and turned to run down the court. | Good shot!

7 (C) a heavy metal ball that competitors try to throw as far as possible in the sport of shot put

8 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 that show the odds

FILM/PHOTOGRAPHS

9 (C) a photograph: I managed to get some good shots of the carnival.

10 (C) the view of something in a film, television programme, or photograph that is produced by having the camera in a particular position: In the opening shot we see Garfield at his desk reading.

ATTEMPT/GUESS

11 (C) informal an attempt to do something or achieve something

(+ at): This will be his second shot at the championship. | have a shot (at sth): I decided to have a shot at decorating the house myself.

12 a long shot an attempt or guess at something that is not very likely to be successful, but is still worth trying: It's a long shot, but if we hurry we might still find her.

13 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.

OTHER MEANINGS

14 DRINK (C) a small amount of a strong alcoholic drink

(+ of): He poured himself another shot of whiskey.

15 DRUG (C) AmE an injection of a drug (=when it is put into the body with a needle): Have you had your typhoid and cholera shots?

16 REMARK (C) an angry remark: a parting shot (=something you say as you are leaving): Carl turned for one parting shot: “You marry him, then!” | a cheap shot (=an unnecessarily rude remark)

17 big shot an important or powerful person, especially in business: a big shot in the record business

18 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!

19 a shot in the arm something that makes you more confident or more successful: The latest opinion poll has given the Socialists a much needed shot in the arm.

20 a shot across the bows especially BrE something you say or do to warn someone about what might happen if they fail to do want you want them to do

—see also: call the shots call 1 (25), mugshot, not by a long chalk/shot long 1 (16) 2 adjective (not before noun)

1 be shot to be in bad condition because of being used too much or treated badly: My back tires are shot. I'll have to get new ones before we go. | shot to pieces: After a long day of exams, my nerves were shot to pieces.

2 be/get shot of informal to get rid of someone or something: I don't care how nice the house is any more. I just want to be shot of it.

3 be shot through with formal

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

3 verb the past tense and participle of shoot