shoot

UK: /ˈʃuːt/ US: /ʃut/ ,(sho̅o̅t)

Inflections of 'shoot' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

shoots

v 3rd person singular

shooting

v pres p

shot

v past

shot

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

shoot¹ /ʃut/   v., shot/ʃɑt/  shoot•ing, n. 
v. 

1. to hit with a bullet, shell, or other missile fired from a weapon:
   [~ + object] The bank robbers shot five police officers.
2. to send forth or discharge (a bullet, etc.) from a weapon: [no object]
   Stop or I'll shoot!
   [~ + object]
   He shot an arrow into the air.
3. • to discharge (a weapon): [~ + object]
     She shot her pistol.
     [no object]
     He aimed at the target and shot.
   • [no object] (of a weapon) to be fired;
     go off:
     The gun wouldn't shoot.
4. to send forth (questions, ideas, etc.) rapidly:
   [~ + object] The reporters shot questions at the general.
5. to fling;
   propel:
   [~ + object] The volcano shot lava into the air.
6. to direct suddenly or swiftly: [~ + object + at + object]
   He shot a smile at his wife.
   [~ + object + object]
   She shot me a warning glance.
7. to (cause to) move suddenly;
   hurtle: [no object]
   The car shot down the road.
   [~ + object]
   The needles were shooting pain down his arms.
8. to pass rapidly through, down, etc.:
   [~ + object] He shot the rapids in the kayak.
9. • [~ + object] to send off (a ray or rays) suddenly, briefly, or on and off:
     The sun shot rays of light through the clouds.
   • [no object] (of a ray or rays of light) to be sent forth suddenly or briefly:
     The sun's rays shot through the sky.
10. to change the appearance of by threads, streaks, etc., of another color:
    [~ + object* usually: be + shot + through] The clothing is shot through with gold threads.
11. Building to slide (a bolt) into or out of its fastening:
    [~ + object] The thief shot the bolt from the door.
12. Photography to take a picture of;
    photograph:
    [~ + object] shooting one picture after another.
13. Show Business to film or begin to film (a scene or movie): [~ + object]
    The crew shot the last scene.
    [no object]
    When we finish shooting we can all go home.
14. Sport
    • to send or propel (a ball, etc.) toward a goal or in a particular way: [~ + object]
      He shot the puck into the net for the winning goal.
      [no object]
      The captain shoots...he scores!
15. shoot down:
    • to cause to fall by hitting with a shot: [~ + down + object]
      to shoot down airplanes.
      [~ + object + down]
      to shoot them down.
    • to show to be false or not good enough: [~ + down + object]
      They shot down all his suggestions.
      [~ + object + down]
      These facts will shoot his theory down.
16. shoot for or at, [~ + for/at + object] to try to obtain or accomplish:
    If we shoot for the best, we may get it.
17. shoot out, to (cause to) extend or project: [~ + out + object]
    He shot out his arm.
    [no object]
    The narrow stretch of land shoots out into the sea.
18. shoot up:
    • to grow suddenly: [no object]
      Prices have shot up since last year.
      [~ + up + object]
      You've shot up several inches since I last saw you.
    • to wound or damage by shooting, esp. recklessly: [~ + up + object]
      to shoot up several parked cars.
      [~ + object + up]
      to shoot them up.
    • [no object] [Slang.] to inject a narcotic drug into one's body.

n. [countable]

19. British Terms a shooting trip or contest.
20. Botany
    • the new growth from a plant.

Idioms

21. Idioms shoot from the hip, [Informal.] to act or speak without thought:
    just shooting from the hip when he criticized you.
22. Idioms shoot off one's mouth or face, [Slang.]
    • to talk about private things too openly, or to make foolish remarks.
    • to exaggerate;
      brag.
23. Idioms shoot one's wad or bolt, [Informal.]
    • to spend or risk all one's money:
      He shot his wad at the racetrack.
    • to spend and use up all one's resources:
      The team shot its bolt in the last five minutes.
24. Idioms shoot the breeze or bull, [Informal.] to talk pleasantly or easily about things that are not serious or urgent;
    chat sociably:
    We sat around shooting the breeze all afternoon.

shoot•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

shoot¹  (sho̅o̅t), v., shot, shoot•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to hit, wound, damage, kill, or destroy with a missile discharged from a weapon.
2. to execute or put to death with a bullet:
   to be shot at sunrise.
3. to send forth or discharge (a missile) from a weapon:
   to shoot a bullet.
4. to discharge (a weapon):
   to shoot a gun.
5. to send forth (words, ideas, etc.) rapidly:
   to shoot questions at someone.
6. to fling;
   propel:
   The volcano shot lava high into the air.
7. to direct suddenly or swiftly:
   Shoot the spotlight on the doorway. He shot a smile at his wife.
8. to move suddenly;
   send swiftly along.
9. to go over (country) in hunting game.
10. to pass rapidly through, over, down, etc.:
    to shoot rapids.
11. to emit (a ray or rays, as of light) suddenly, briefly, or intermittently.
12. to variegate by threads, streaks, etc., of another color.
13. to cause to extend or project:
    He shot out his arm and grabbed the ball.
14. to discharge or empty, as down a chute:
    Do not shoot rubbish here!
15. Sport
    • to throw, kick, or otherwise propel (a ball, puck, etc.), as at a goal or teammate.
    • to score (a goal, points, etc.) by propelling the ball, puck, etc.
16. Games to propel (a marble) from the crook or first knuckle of the forefinger by flicking with the thumb.
17. Games (in dice games)
    • to throw (the dice or a specific number).
    • to wager or offer to bet (a sum of money):
      I'll shoot ten bucks.
18. Photography to photograph or film.
19. Botany to put forth (buds, branches, etc.), as a plant.
20. Building to slide (a bolt or the like) into or out of its fastening.
21. to pull (one's cuffs) abruptly toward one's hands.
22. Sport [Golf.] to make a final score of (so many strokes):
    He shot a 73 on the first 18 holes of the tournament.
23. Surveying to take the altitude of (a heavenly body):
    to shoot the sun.
24. to detonate;
    cause to explode, as a charge of explosives.
25. Aeronautics to practice (a maneuver) by repetition:
    to shoot landings.
26. Drugs [Slang.] to inject (an addictive drug) intravenously.

v.i. 

27. to send forth missiles from a bow, firearm, or the like.
28. to be discharged, as a firearm.
29. to hunt with a gun for sport:
    He fishes, but he doesn't shoot.
30. to move or pass suddenly or swiftly;
    spurt:
    The car shot ahead and was soon out of sight.
31. [Naut.] to acquire momentum and coast into the wind, as a sailboat in a confined area.
32. Botany to grow forth from the ground, as a stem.
33. Botany to put forth buds or shoots, as a plant;
    germinate.
34. Photography to photograph.
35. Show Business [Motion Pictures.] to film or begin to film a scene or movie.
36. to extend;
    jut:
    a cape shooting out into the sea.
37. Sport
    • to propel a ball, puck, etc., at a goal, basket, pocket, etc., or in a specific direction:
      He shot for the green with a five iron.
    • to propel a ball in a specific way:
      The center shoots left-handed.
38. to be felt by or flow through or permeate the body:
    Pain shot through his injured arm. Chills shot up and down her spine.
39. to carry by force of discharge or momentum:
    The missile left its pad and shot thousands of miles into space.
40. Informal Terms to begin, esp. to begin to talk:
    I want to hear your complaint, so shoot!
41. shoot down:
    • to cause to fall by hitting with a shot:
      They shot down several ducks.
    • [Informal.] to disparage, reject, or expose as false or inadequate;
      debunk:
      to shoot down a popular theory.
42. shoot for or at, to attempt to obtain or accomplish;
    strive toward:
    He is shooting for a higher production level.
43. shoot from the hip, to act or speak without due consideration or deliberation.
44. Slang Terms shoot off one's mouth or face:
    • to talk indiscreetly, esp. to reveal confidences, make thoughtless remarks, etc.
    • to exaggerate:
      He likes to shoot off his mouth about what a great guy he is.
45. shoot one's bolt. See bolt ¹ (def. 16).
46. shoot one's wad. See wad ¹ (def. 7).
47. shoot the breeze. See breeze ¹ (def. 5).
48. shoot the bull. See bull ³ (def. 2).
49. shoot the works. See work (def. 18).
50. shoot up:
    • to grow rapidly or suddenly.
    • [Informal.] to damage or harass by reckless shooting:
      cowboys shooting up the town.
    • to wound by shooting:
      He shot up the lion, but his guide killed it.
    • [Slang.] to inject an addictive drug intravenously.

n. 

51. the act of shooting with a bow, firearm, etc.
52. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] a hunting trip or expedition.
53. a match or contest at shooting.
54. Botany a growing or sprouting, as of a plant.
55. Botany a new or young growth that shoots off from some portion of a plant.
56. Botany the amount of such growth.
57. Botany a young branch, stem, twig, or the like.
58. Botany a sprout that is not three feet high.
59. a chute.
60. Rocketry the launching of a missile.
61. Show Business, Informal Terms, Photography [Informal.] a photographic assignment or session, as for a feature film or a television commercial:
    The actress is away on a shoot.
62. Sport [Rowing.] the interval between strokes.
63. [Mining.]
    • Mining a small tunnel branching off from a larger tunnel.
    • Mining a narrow vein of ore.

• bef. 900; Middle English shoten (verb, verbal), Old English scēotan; cognate with Dutch schieten, German schiessen, Old Norse skjōta; akin to shot¹

Synonyms

• 3, 5. project, impel, hurl, cast, throw.
• 17. a. roll.
• 30. spring, start, dash, bolt, rush, fly.
• 36. project, protrude.

shoot²  (sho̅o̅t), interj. 

1. (used to express irritation or astonishment).

• alteration of shit, conformed to shoot¹ 1875–80, American.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

shoot / ʃuːt/ verb (shoots, shooting, shot)

1. (transitive) to hit, wound, damage, or kill with a missile discharged from a weapon
2. to discharge (a missile or missiles) from a weapon
3. to fire (a weapon) or (of a weapon) to be fired
4. to send out or be sent out as if from a weapon: he shot questions at her
5. (intransitive) to move very rapidly; dart
6. (transitive) to slide or push into or out of a fastening: to shoot a bolt
7. to emit (a ray of light) or (of a ray of light) to be emitted
8. (transitive) to go or pass quickly over or through: to shoot rapids
9. (intransitive) to hunt game with a gun for sport
10. (transitive) to pass over (an area) in hunting game
11. (intransitive) (of a plant) to produce buds, branches, etc
12. to photograph or record (a sequence, subject, etc)
13. (tr; usually passive) to variegate or streak, as with colour
14. to hit or propel (the ball, etc) towards the goal
15. (transitive) to score (points, strokes, etc): he shot 72 on the first round
16. (transitive) to measure the altitude of (a celestial body)
17. (often followed by up) to inject (someone, esp oneself) with (a drug, esp heroin)
18. shoot a line ⇒
    See line158
19. shoot one's bolt ⇒
    See bolt113
20. shoot oneself in the foot ⇒ to damage one's own cause inadvertently

noun

1. the act of shooting
2. the action or motion of something that is shot
3. the first aerial part of a plant to develop from a germinating seed
4. any new growth of a plant, such as a bud, young branch, etc
5. a meeting or party organized for hunting game with guns
6. an area or series of coverts and woods where game can be hunted with guns
7. a steep descent in a stream; rapid
8. a photographic assignment
9. the whole shoot ⇒ everything

interjection

1. an exclamation expressing disbelief, scepticism, disgust, disappointment, etc

Etymology: Old English sceōtan; related to Old Norse skjōta, Old High German skiozan to shoot, Old Slavonic iskydati to throw out