take a shot

phrase

1
: to fire a gun
He took a shot and missed.
often + at
He took a shot at the deer.
2
: to try to hit
+ at
She took a shot at me with a snowball but missed.
3
: to propel a ball or puck toward a goal
He took a shot and scored.
4
: to make a critical or hurtful remark about someone
+ at
They took shots at each other throughout the debate.
5
: to attempt to do something successfully
often + at
Take a shot at the math problem.
I never changed a tire before, but I'll take a shot at it.
6
informal : to photograph something
often + of
Be sure to take a shot of the house.

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Cite this Entry

“Take a shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20a%20shot. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

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