shoot

I. verb (shot; shooting) Etymology: Middle English sheten, shoten, shuten, from Old English scēotan; akin to Old Norse skjōta to shoot Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. (1) to eject or impel or cause to be ejected or impelled by a sudden release of tension (as of a bowstring or slingshot or by a flick of a finger) <

shoot an arrow

> <

shoot a spitball

> <

shoot a marble

> (2) to drive forth or cause to be driven forth by an explosion (as of a powder charge in a firearm or of ignited fuel in a rocket) (3) to drive forth or cause to be driven forth by a sudden release of gas or air <

shoot darts from a blowgun

> <

a steam catapult shoots planes from a carrier

> (4) to propel (as a ball or puck) toward a goal by striking or pushing with part of the body (as the hand or foot) or with an implement; also to score by so doing <

shoot the winning goal

> <

shoot a basket

> (5) to throw or cast off or out often with force <

shoot dice

> <

the horse shot his rider out of the saddle

> b. to cause (as a gun or bow) to propel a missile c. (1) to utter (as words or sounds) rapidly or suddenly or with force <

shoot out a stream of invective

> (2) to emit (as light, flame, or fumes) suddenly and rapidly (3) to send forth with suddenness or intensity <

shot a look of anger at them

> d. to discharge, dump, or empty especially by overturning, upending, or directing into a slide 2. to affect by shooting: as a. to strike with a missile especially from a bow or gun; especially to wound or kill with a missile discharged from a bow or firearm b. to remove or destroy by use of firearms <

shot out the light

>; also wreck, explode 3. a. to push or slide (as the bolt of a door or lock) into or out of a fastening b. to push or thrust forward ; stick out <

toads shooting out their tongues

> c. to put forth in growing d. to place, send, or bring into position abruptly 4. a. (1) to engage in (a sport or game or a portion of a game that involves shooting) ; play <

shoot pool

> <

shoot a round of golf

> <

shoot craps

> (2) to achieve (a particular score) in a game that involves shooting <

shoot 80 in golf

> b. (1) to place or offer (a bet) on the result of casting dice <

shoot $5

> (2) to use up by or as if by betting ; exhaust <

shot his annual bonus on a shady deal

> 5. a. to engage in the hunting and killing of (as game) with firearms especially as a sport <

shoot woodcock

> b. to hunt over <

shoot a tract of woodland

> 6. a. to cause to move suddenly or swiftly forward <

shot the car onto the highway

> b. to send or carry quickly ; dispatch <

shoot the letter on to me as soon as you receive it

> 7. to variegate as if by sprinkling color in streaks, flecks, or patches 8. to pass swiftly by, past, or along <

shooting rapids

> 9. to plane (as the edge of a board) straight or true 10. a. set off, detonate, ignite <

shoot a charge of dynamite

> b. to effect by blasting 11. to determine the altitude of 12. to take a picture or series of pictures or television images of ; photograph, film 13. a. to give an injection to b. to inject (an illicit drug) especially into the bloodstream intransitive verb 1. a. to go or pass rapidly and precipitately <

sparks shooting all over

> <

his feet shot out from under him

> b. to move ahead by force of momentum c. to stream out suddenly ; spurt d. to dart in or as if in rays from a source of light e. to dart with a piercing sensation <

pain shot up my arm

> 2. a. to cause an engine or weapon to discharge a missile b. to use a firearm or bow especially for sport (as in hunting) 3. to propel a missile <

guns that shoot many miles

> 4. protrude, project 5. a. to grow or sprout by or as if by putting forth shoots b. develop, mature c. to spring or rise rapidly or suddenly — often used with up <

in a burst of growth he shot up to six feet tall

> <

prices shot up

> 6. a. to propel an object (as a ball) in a particular way b. to drive the ball or puck toward a goal 7. to cast dice 8. to slide into or out of a fastening <

a bolt that shoots in either direction

> 9. to record something (as on film or videotape) with a camera 10. to begin to speak — usually used as an imperative <

OK, shoot, what do you have to say

> II. noun Etymology: Middle English schot, schote projectile, new growth, in part from shoten, verb, in part from Old English sceot shot Date: 15th century 1. a sending out of new growth or the growth sent out: as a. a stem or branch with its leaves and appendages especially when not yet mature b. offshoot 2. a. an act of shooting (as with a bow or a firearm): (1) shot (2) the firing of a missile especially by artillery b. (1) a hunting trip or party (2) the right to shoot game in a particular area or land over which it is held c. (1) a shooting match <

skeet shoot

> (2) a round of shots in a shooting match d. the action or an instance of shooting with a camera ; a session or a series of sessions of photographing or filming <

a movie shoot

> 3. a. a motion or movement of rapid thrusting: as (1) a sudden or rapid advance (2) a momentary darting sensation ; twinge (3) thrust 2b (4) the pace between strokes in rowing b. a bar of rays ; beam <

a shoot of sunlight

> 4. [probably by folk etymology from French chute — more at chute] a. a rush of water down a steep or rapid b. a place where a stream runs or descends swiftly III. interjection Etymology: euphemism for shit Date: 1876 — used to express annoyance or surprise