a shot across the/someone's bow(s)
phrase
: a warning to not do something or to stop doing something
The fine is a shot across the bow to an industry that thinks it can ignore the law.
Cite this Entry
“A shot across the/someone's bow(s).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20shot%20across%20the%2Fsomeone%27s%20bow%28s%29. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
