shot

1 of 3

noun

ˈshät 

1

a

: an action of shooting

b

: a directed propelling of a missile

specifically : a directed discharge of a firearm

c(1)

: a stroke or throw in an attempt to score points in a game (such as tennis, pool, or basketball)

also : home run

(2)

: ability to shoot

has the best shot on the team

d

: blast sense 5a

e

: a medical or narcotics injection

2

a

plural shot : something propelled by shooting

especially : small lead or steel pellets especially forming a charge for a shotgun

b

: a metal sphere of iron or brass that is heaved in the shot put

3

a

: the distance that a missile is or can be thrown

b

: range, reach

4

: a charge to be paid : scot

5

: one that shoots

especially : marksman

6

a

: attempt, try

give it a shot

b

: guess, conjecture

c

: chance sense 4a

a shot at winning the prize

d

: a single appearance as an entertainer

did a guest shot for the program

7

: an effective remark

especially : swipe sense 2

a parting shot

8

a

: a single photographic exposure

especially : snapshot

b

: a single sequence of a motion picture or a television program shot by one camera without interruption

9

: a charge of explosives

10

a

: a small measure or serving (such as one ounce) of undiluted liquor or other beverage

vodka shots

a shot of espresso

b

: a small amount applied at one time : dose

a shot of fertilizer

a shot of humor

11

shot plural : sprinkles, jimmies

shot

2 of 3

past tense and past participle of shoot

shot

3 of 3

adjective

1

a

of a fabric : having contrasting and changeable color effects : iridescent

b

: suffused or streaked with a color

hair shot with gray

c

: infused or permeated with a quality or element

shot through with wit

2

: having the form of pellets resembling shot

3

: reduced to a ruined or useless state

his nerves are shot

Phrases

a shot

: for each one : apiece

like a shot

: very rapidly

shot in the arm

: stimulus, boost

shot in the dark

1

: a wild guess

2

: an attempt that has little chance of success

Synonyms

Noun

• blasting
• discharge
• firing

Examples of shot in a Sentence

Noun

cannon operators often had to use several shots to figure out the range of their targets

let's take another shot at the puzzle

Adjective

The tires on the car are shot.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Stations offered astrology readings, ear seeding, B12 shots by Hydration Room, YINA gua sha scalp massages and HigherDOSE red-light therapy treatments. —Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024

Bobrovsky faced 11 high-danger shots and only allowed one of those to get past him. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024

Player of the Week on Jan. 31 after leading the Cougars to two victories and hitting 20 of 35 shots (57.1%) from the floor and averaging 25.5 points and 20.5 rebounds in 34.5 minutes of play. —Richard Davenport, arkansasonline.com, 24 Apr. 2024

There’s a stylist, her management, and caterers standing next to a table filled with snacks and ginger shots. —Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2024

Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels could be key witnesses 55-year-old man riding lawn mower shot, transported in critical condition According to the sheriff's office, just after 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday, deputies responded to Florence's neighbor's home for a report of a shooting. —USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024

Advertisement One final score, Jamal Murray’s winning shot over Anthony Davis giving Denver a stunning 101-99 victory to put the Lakers in a 2-0 series hole that seems way deeper than that. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024

The person seated in the right rear passenger seat leaned out of the window of the Mercedes and fired two shots with a 9mm pistol at the victims. —Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024

The drone flies by itself on autopilot and will actually hover and maneuver its way through the air to dodge your shots. —Maya Polton, Parents, 12 Apr. 2024

Adjective

Nguyen reached down to pick up his shot glass and Vang punched him once, striking him in the shoulder and face, the complaint continued. —Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2024

Each green has built-in pods that can track swathes of shot information, incorporating the PGA Tour’s ShotLink data. —Jack Bantock, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024

At this point, Trooper Godbout fired one shot striking Muller in the chest area. —Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 3 Jan. 2024

Cut out doughnuts using a 2-inch doughnut or biscuit cutter for small doughnuts or a 4-inch cutter for large doughnuts; alternatively use a shot glass or a 1-inch round cutter to make the hole. —Kimberly Winter Stern, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2024

Gather your friends, spin the roulette wheel, and let the festivities begin as everyone takes their chances with the shot glass selection. —Jessica Copeland, Rolling Stone, 8 Dec. 2023

This is a tequila meant to be sipped in a tumbler, not slurped down in a shot glass. —Ron Hart, SPIN, 22 Nov. 2023

Indiana desperately needs another 3-point shooter, a shot creator, and assist machine in the backcourt, and Clark checks all of those boxes. —Chloe Peterson, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Sep. 2023

Place cloves or a whole bulb, that has started to sprout, in a clear glass container (like a jar, drinking glass, or shot glass) positioned upright and fill it with just enough warm water so that less than half the clove or bulb is covered. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English sceot, scot; akin to Old High German scuz, Old Norse skot shot, Old English scēotan to shoot — more at shoot

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing shot

• allergy shot
• angle shot
• approach shot
• a shot
• a shot across the/someone's bow(s)
• bank shot
• big shot
• booster shot
• by a long shot
• cheap shot
• chip shot
• combination shot
• counter-shot
• crack shot
• dolly shot
• draw shot
• drop shot
• dunk shot
• establishing shot
• follow shot
• foul shot
• get/be shot of
• give (something) a shot
• head shot
• hook shot
• jump shot
• like a shot
• long shot
• make the shot
• money shot
• moon shot
• mug shot
• not by a long shot
• one-shot
• one-shot deal
• parting shot
• passing shot
• penalty shot
• pitch shot
• rim shot
• set shot
• shot clock
• shot hole
• shot in the arm
• shot in the dark
• shot put
• slap shot
• split shot
• take a shot
• tee shot
• the shot put
• took a parting shot
• tracking shot
• wood shot
• wrist shot

Kids Definition

shot

1 of 3 noun

ˈshät 

1

a

: an action of shooting

b

: an aimed discharge of a weapon (as a gun or cannon)

c

: a stroke or throw in a game

especially : an attempt at scoring

d

: an injection of something (as a medicine or vaccine) into the body

penicillin shots

2

a

plural shot : something sent by shooting

especially : small lead or steel pellets forming a charge for a shotgun

b

: a heavy metal ball thrown for distance in the shot put

3

: the flight of a missile or the distance it travels : range

within rifle shot

4

: a person who shoots

a good shot

5

a

: attempt entry 2 sense 1, try

take another shot at the puzzle

b

: chance

has a good shot at winning

6

a

: photograph entry 1

b

: a single portion of a movie or a television program shot by one camera without stopping

7

a

: a small measure or amount of alcoholic liquor

b

: a small amount applied at one time : dose

shot

2 of 3

past and past participle of shoot

shot

3 of 3 adjective

1

: marked or streaked with a different color

blue shot with silver

hair shot with gray

2

: brought to a state of ruin or uselessness

my nerves were shot

the tires are shot

Medical Definition

shot

1 of 2 noun

ˈshät 

: an injection of a drug, immunizing substance, nutrient, or medicament

a tetanus shot

see booster shot, flu shot

shot

2 of 2

past and past part of shoot