shoot
UK /ʃuːt/ · US /ʃut/ verb, noun, interjection
Forms shoots shooting shot shotten shooted shootest shootedst shotst shottest shooteth
- verb (transitive) To fire (a weapon that releases a bullet or other projectile). “to shoot a gun”
- verb (transitive) To fire or launch (a projectile).
- verb (transitive) To fire a projectile at (a person or target). “The man, in a desperate bid for freedom, grabbed his gun and started shooting anyone he could.”
- verb (intransitive) To cause a weapon to discharge a projectile; to use a gun or similar weapon. “They shot at a target.”
- verb (intransitive) To hunt game with a gun; to go hunting for recreation. “They're coming to shoot with us on Sunday.”
- verb (transitive) To hunt on (a piece of land) with a gun; to kill game in or on.
- verb (intransitive) To function as a weapon that launches a projectile. “The gun shoots well.”
- verb (intransitive, gambling) To throw dice; to roll.
- noun The emerging stem and embryonic leaves of a new plant.
- noun A photography session.
- noun A hunt or shooting competition.
- noun (professional wrestling, slang) An event that is unscripted or legitimate.
- noun The act of shooting; the discharge of a missile; a shot.
- noun A rush of water; a rapid.
- noun (weaving) A weft thread shot through the shed by the shuttle; a pick.
- noun A shoat; a young pig.
- interjection A mild expletive, expressing disbelief or dismay “Didn't you have a concert tonight? —Shoot! I forgot! I have to go and get ready…”
Synonyms
loose fix darn dash fiddlesticks shucks sugar hit pip blast film take dart scoot scud flash tear shoot down charge buck photograph snap inject fritter frivol away dissipate fritter away fool fool away spud
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English scheten, schoten, from Old English scēotan, from Proto-West Germanic *skeutan, from Proto-Germanic *skeutaną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kéwd-e-ti, thematic present of *(s)kewd- (“to shoot, throw”).
Cognate with West Frisian sjitte, Low German scheten, Dutch schieten, German schießen, Danish skyde, Norwegian Bokmål skyte, Norwegian Nynorsk skyta, Swedish skjuta; and also, through Indo-European, with Russian кида́ть (kidátʹ), Albanian hedh (“to throw, toss”), Persian چست (čost, “quick, active”), Lithuanian skudrùs.
Minced oath for shit.
Webster’s 1913
- noun An inclined plane, either artificial or natural, down which timber, coal, etc., are caused to slide; also, a narrow passage, either natural or artificial, in a stream, where the water rushes rapidly; esp., a channel, having a swift current, connecting the ends of a bend in the stream, so as to shorten the course. [Written also chute, and shute.] [U. S.] To take a shoot, to pass through a shoot instead of the main channel; to take the most direct course. [U.S.]
- verb To let fly, or cause to be driven, with force, as an arrow or a bullet; --followed by a word denoting the missile, as an object.
- verb To discharge, causing a missile to be driven forth; --followed by a word denoting the weapon or instrument, as an object; --often with off; as, to shoot a gun. The two ends od a bow, shot off, fly from one another. Boyle.
- verb To cause an engine or weapon to discharge a missile; --said of a person or an agent; as, they shot at a target; he shoots better than he rides.
Etymology [F. chute. See Chute. Confused with shoot to let fly.]
Etymology [OE. shotien, schotien, AS. scotian, v. i., sceótan; akin to D. schieten, G. schie, OHG. sciozan, Icel. skj, Sw. skjuta, Dan. skyde; cf. Skr. skund to jump. sq. root159. Cf. Scot a contribution, Scout to reject, Scud, Scuttle, v. i., Shot, Sheet, Shut, Shuttle, Skittish, Skittles.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “shoot”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details