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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

shoot.

To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object).

5 characters1 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

verb/ʃuːt/Received-Pronunciation/ʃʉwt/British, Southern, Standard/ʃut/General-American/ʃʉːt/Australia, New-Zealand
  1. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To fire (a weapon that releases a bullet or other projectile).

    transitive
    to shoot a gun
  2. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To fire or launch (a projectile).

    transitive
  3. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To fire a projectile at (a person or target).

    transitive
    The man, in a desperate bid for freedom, grabbed his gun and started shooting anyone he could.
    The hunter shot the deer to harvest its meat.
  4. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To cause a weapon to discharge a projectile; to use a gun or similar weapon.

    intransitive
    They shot at a target.
    He shoots better than he rides.
  5. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To hunt game with a gun; to go hunting for recreation.

    intransitive
    They're coming to shoot with us on Sunday.
  6. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To hunt on (a piece of land) with a gun; to kill game in or on.

    transitive
  7. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To function as a weapon that launches a projectile.

    intransitive
    The gun shoots well.
  8. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To throw dice; to roll.

    intransitive
  9. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To ejaculate.

    slang · transitive
    After a very short time, he shot his load over the carpet.
  10. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To begin to speak.

    colloquial · imperative · intransitive
    "Can I ask you a question?" "Shoot."
  11. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To dismiss, reject, or do away with.

    figuratively · transitive
    His idea was shot on sight.
  12. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To photograph or film: To photograph.

    ambitransitive
    He shot the couple in a variety of poses.
    He shot seventeen stills.
  13. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To photograph or film: To film.

    ambitransitive
    The film was mostly shot in France.
  14. To launch (forcefully project) (a projectile or similar object). To push or thrust (a bolt) quickly; hence, to open (a lock); to unlock.

    transitive
  15. To move or act quickly or suddenly. To move past very quickly and suddenly.

    intransitive
    After an initial lag, the experimental group's scores shot past the control group's scores in the fourth week.
    As soon as the dog appeared, the cat shot underneath the couch.
  16. To move or act quickly or suddenly. To go over or pass quickly through.

    transitive
    shoot the rapids
  17. To move or act quickly or suddenly. To ride a wave.

  18. To move or act quickly or suddenly. To tip (something, especially coal) down a chute.

    transitive
  19. To move or act quickly or suddenly. To penetrate with pain as if with a bullet; to stab; to cause a piercing sensation.

    transitive
    a shooting pain in my leg
  20. To move or act quickly or suddenly. To feel a quick, darting pain; to throb in pain.

    intransitive · obsolete
  21. To move or act quickly or suddenly. To change form suddenly; especially, to solidify.

    obsolete
  22. To move or act quickly or suddenly. To send out or forth, especially with a rapid or sudden motion; to cast with the hand; to hurl; to discharge; to emit.

  23. To move or act quickly or suddenly. To send (to someone).

    ditransitive · informal
    I'll shoot you an email with all the details
  24. To move or act quickly or suddenly. To leave; to depart.

    informal · intransitive
    Is that the time already? I've got to shoot.
  25. To act or achieve. To lunge.

  26. To act or achieve. To deviate from kayfabe, either intentionally or accidentally; to actually connect with unchoreographed fighting blows and maneuvers, or speak one's mind (instead of an agreed script).

  27. To act or achieve. To make (the stated score).

    In my round of golf yesterday I shot a 76.
  28. To inject a drug (such as heroin) intravenously.

    colloquial · intransitive · transitive
  29. To develop, move forward. To germinate; to bud; to sprout.

  30. To develop, move forward. To grow; to advance.

    to shoot up rapidly
  31. To develop, move forward. To move ahead by force of momentum, as a sailing vessel when the helm is put hard alee.

  32. To develop, move forward. To travel or ride on (breaking waves) rowards the shore.

    transitive
  33. To develop, move forward. To push or thrust forward; to project; to protrude; often with out.

    A plant shoots out a bud.
  34. To protrude; to jut; to project; to extend.

    intransitive
    The land shoots into a promontory.
  35. To plane straight; to fit by planing.

    transitive
  36. To variegate as if by sprinkling or intermingling; to color in spots or patches. (See shot silk on Wikipedia)

    transitive
  37. To shoot the moon.

  38. To carry out, or attempt to carry out (an approach to an airport runway).

    transitive
    He tried to shoot the visual approach to runway 12, but the visibility was too low.
  39. To measure the distance and direction to (a point).

    transitive
  40. To carry out a seismic survey with geophones in an attempt to detect oil.

  41. To drink (a shot of an alcoholic beverage).

    transitive
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewd- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *(s)kéwdeti? Proto-Germanic *skuttōnąbf.? Proto-Germanic *skeutaną Proto-West Germanic *skeutan Old English sċēotan Middle English schoten English shoot 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”). Cognates 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.

noun/ʃuːt/Received-Pronunciation/ʃʉwt/British, Southern, Standard/ʃut/General-American/ʃʉːt/Australia, New-Zealand
  1. The emerging stem and embryonic leaves of a new plant.

  2. A photography session.

  3. A hunt or shooting competition.

  4. An event that is unscripted or legitimate.

    slang
  5. The act of shooting; the discharge of a missile; a shot.

  6. A rush of water; a rapid.

  7. A weft thread shot through the shed by the shuttle; a pick.

  8. A shoat; a young pig.

  9. A vein of ore running in the same general direction as the lode.

  10. An inclined plane, either artificial or natural, down which timber, coal, ore, etc., are caused to slide; a chute.

  11. The act of taking all point cards in one hand.

  12. A seismic survey carried out with geophones in an attempt to detect oil.

Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewd- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *(s)kéwdeti? Proto-Germanic *skuttōnąbf.? Proto-Germanic *skeutaną Proto-West Germanic *skeutan Old English sċēotan Middle English schoten English shoot 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”). Cognates 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.

intj/ʃuːt/Received-Pronunciation/ʃʉwt/British, Southern, Standard/ʃut/General-American/ʃʉːt/Australia, New-Zealand
  1. A mild expletive, expressing disbelief or dismay

    Didn't you have a concert tonight? —Shoot! I forgot! I have to go and get ready…
Where this word comes from

Minced oath for shit.

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.