shoot
1 of 3verb
ˈshüt 
shot ˈshät ; shooting
; shooting 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 (something, such as a ball or puck) toward a goal by striking or pushing with part of the body (such 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 (something, such as a gun or bow) to propel a missile
c(1)
: to utter (words or sounds) rapidly or suddenly or with force
shoot out a stream of invective
(2)
: to emit (light, flame, fumes, etc.) 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: such 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 (something, such 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 (game birds or animals) 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 (something, such 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 tallprices shot up
6
a
: to propel an object (such 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
shoot
2 of 3noun
1
: a sending out of new growth or the growth sent out: such 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: such as
(1)
: a sudden or rapid advance
(2)
: a momentary darting sensation : twinge
(3)
: thrust sense 3b
(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
shoot
3 of 3interjection
—used to express annoyance or surprise
Synonyms
Verb
- blast
- discharge
- fire
- loose
- squeeze off
Noun
- offshoot
- outgrowth
- sprout
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb Does this gun shoot accurately? He shot at the deer. The enemy was shooting at the rescue helicopter. She shot the arrow into the air. I tried shooting a gun for the first time. He shot a spitball into the girl's hair. a stunt in which she was shot from a cannon He shot two deer this hunting season. The police shot the suspect in the leg. She accidentally shot herself in the foot. Noun Small green shoots grew from the base of the tree. She is currently on a movie shoot in London. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Dan Lamothe And Azi Paybarah, Anchorage Daily News, 6 Feb. 2023 The disclosure came as U.S. Navy and Coast Guard crews worked off the Atlantic coast to recover debris from the shoot-down, including sensors. —Azi Paybarah, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2023 Not too long after, Palmer shared a more grounded and intimate pregnancy shoot full of cozy ribbed knits and neutral tones. —André-naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2023 The Last Supper to bring a sense of gravity to the shoot, then immediately undercutting it with playfulness. —Caitlin White, SPIN, 2 Feb. 2023 First: The 20th century’s bright lines between photographic genres, which made Avedon so anxious and led critics to dismiss all his imagery as one big Vogue shoot, had dissolved into the 21st century’s low-drama catholicity. —Jason Farago, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2023 On Monday, each assistant was assigned four players for an extra hour-long shoot-around. —Nick Alvarez | Nalvarez@al.com, al, 1 Feb. 2023 In addition to the closures, five Buybuy BABY stores will also be shutting down, and the company's health and beauty off-shoot Harmon will shut its doors permanently. —Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2023 After keeping fans waiting for months, Beyoncé has finally announced plans to go on tour in support of Renaissance, posting the news on Instagram Wednesday (Feb. 1) with an elegant outtake from the album’s cover shoot. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 Feb. 2023 See More
Noun
The disclosure came as U.S. Navy and Coast Guard crews worked off the Atlantic coast to recover debris from the shoot-down, including sensors. —Dan Lamothe And Azi Paybarah, Anchorage Daily News, 6 Feb. 2023 The disclosure came as U.S. Navy and Coast Guard crews worked off the Atlantic coast to recover debris from the shoot-down, including sensors. —Azi Paybarah, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2023 Not too long after, Palmer shared a more grounded and intimate pregnancy shoot full of cozy ribbed knits and neutral tones. —André-naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2023 The Last Supper to bring a sense of gravity to the shoot, then immediately undercutting it with playfulness. —Caitlin White, SPIN, 2 Feb. 2023 First: The 20th century’s bright lines between photographic genres, which made Avedon so anxious and led critics to dismiss all his imagery as one big Vogue shoot, had dissolved into the 21st century’s low-drama catholicity. —Jason Farago, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2023 On Monday, each assistant was assigned four players for an extra hour-long shoot-around. —Nick Alvarez | Nalvarez@al.com, al, 1 Feb. 2023 In addition to the closures, five Buybuy BABY stores will also be shutting down, and the company's health and beauty off-shoot Harmon will shut its doors permanently. —Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2023 After keeping fans waiting for months, Beyoncé has finally announced plans to go on tour in support of Renaissance, posting the news on Instagram Wednesday (Feb. 1) with an elegant outtake from the album’s cover shoot. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 Feb. 2023 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English sheten, shoten, shuten, from Old English scēotan; akin to Old Norse skjōta to shoot
Noun
Middle English schot, schote projectile, new growth, in part from shoten, verb, in part from Old English sceot shot
Interjection
euphemism for shit
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Interjection
1876, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing shoot
Kids Definition
shoot
1 of 2 verb ˈshüt
shot ˈshät ; shooting
; shooting 1
a
: to let fly or cause to be driven forward with force
shoot an arrow
b
: to cause a missile to be driven out of
shoot a gun
c
: to cause a weapon to discharge a missile
shoot at a target
2
a
: to send (a marble) forward by snapping the thumb
b
: to hit or throw (as a ball or puck) toward a goal
c
: to score by shooting
shoot a basket
d
: play entry 2 sense 5a
shoot pool
3
: to strike with a missile from a bow or gun
especially : to kill by so doing
shot a deer
4
: to push or slide into or out of a fastening
shot the door bolt
5
a
: to push or thrust forward swiftly
lizards shooting out their tongues
b
: to grow rapidly
the corn is shooting up
6
a
: to go, move, or pass rapidly
they shot past on skis
b
: to pass swiftly along
shoot the rapids in a canoe
c
: to stream out suddenly : spurt
d
: to dart with a piercing sensation
shooting pains
7
: to take the altitude of
shoot the sun with a sextant
8
: to take a picture or series of pictures or television images of
shooter noun
shoot
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a plant stem with its leaves and branches especially when not yet mature
b
: offshoot sense 1
2
a
: an act of shooting
b
: a hunting trip or party
c
: a shooting match
Medical Definition
shoot
transitive verb ˈshüt
shot ˈshät ; shooting
; shooting 1
: to give an injection to
2
: to take or administer (as a drug) by hypodermic needle
shoot 1 of 2
verb
1
as in to fire
to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force BB guns shoot small round metal pellets Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fire
- throw
- launch
- blast
- hurl
- loose
- squeeze off
- discharge
- project
- fling
- lob
- sling
- catapult
- toss
- snipe (at)
- cast
- pelt
- hurtle
- heave
- pitch
- blaze (at)
2
as in to blast
to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force soldiers train extensively to learn to shoot accurately and quickly Synonyms & Similar Words
- fire
- blast
- snipe
- discharge
- blaze
- pepper
- potshot
- plink
3
as in to gun
to strike with a missile from a gun hunters can shoot deer only during the legally specified open season Synonyms & Similar Words
- gun
- drill
- pop
- kill
- drop
- destroy
- plug
- slay
- slaughter
- shotgun
- pistol
- blow away
- butcher
- massacre
- bring down
- shoot down
- blaze
- dispatch
- pepper
- pick off
- fell
- potshot
- wipe out
- snipe (at)
- annihilate
- decimate
- fire (at)
- blot out
- blast (at)
- machine-gun
- ice
- tommy-gun
- croak
- do in
4
as in to fly
to proceed or move quickly some show-off shot past all the other skiers on the slope Synonyms & Similar Words
- fly
- travel
- chase
- drive
- rush
- jump
- hurry
- speed
- scurry
- run
- race
- trot
- scoot
- blow
- blast
- dart
- zip
- zoom
- rip
- barrel
- bolt
- buzz
- scuttle
- step
- hurl
- jog
- tear
- course
- breeze
- dash
- rocket
- ram
- cannonball
- bowl
- bomb
- hump
- nip
- jet
- hustle
- pelt
- whirl
- bundle
- blaze
- career
- whisk
- hare
- beat it
- hie
- hasten
- hurtle
- careen
- gallop
- motor
- belt
- rustle
- shake a leg
- get a move on
- highball
- make tracks
- crack (on)
- bustle
- step on it
- flit
- hotfoot (it)
- scamper
- scuffle
- sprint
- accelerate
- arrow
- beetle
- streak
- outrun
- step out
- scud
- stampede
- whiz
- catch up
- overtake
- whizz
- quicken
- outpace
- beeline
- outstrip
- fast-forward
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- drag
- creep
- poke
- crawl
- poke
- hang (around or out)
- linger
- stroll
- lag
- saunter
- dawdle
- tarry
- amble
- shuffle
- decelerate
- loiter
- lumber
- slow (down or up)
- plod
- dillydally
- dally
5
as in to photograph
to take a photograph of shooting the lakeside scene while the light lasted Synonyms & Similar Words
- photograph
- photo
- film
- snap
- picture
- retake
- mug
- videotape
- rephotograph
- image
6
as in to cast
to throw or give off suddenly the old, broken-down toaster began shooting out sparks Synonyms & Similar Words
- cast
- release
- radiate
- emit
- eliminate
- expel
- emanate
- evolve
- exhale
- issue
- irradiate
- throw out
- vent
- discharge
- give out
- spray
- send (out)
- evacuate
- pour
- erupt
- eject
- excrete
- squirt
- secrete
- exude
- expire
- ooze
- gush
- spurt
- jet
- spew
- spout
- outpour
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- take up
- absorb
- inhale
- soak (up)
- suck (up)
- sponge
7
as in to shout
to voice one's opinions freely with force you've been wanting to say something since this meeting started, so shoot Synonyms & Similar Words
- shout
- yell
- cry
- call
- speak out
- holler
- sound off
- speak up
- pipe up
- talk up
- bawl
- vociferate
- bellow
- speak one's mind
- roar
- bay
- thunder
- spout (off)
- articulate
- sing (out)
- enunciate
- enounce
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- suppress
- shut up
- hush
- clam up
- dummy up
- quiet
- belt up
8
as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly hazel eyes that were brown shot with green Synonyms & Similar Words
- sprinkle
- spot
- dot
- dye
- pepper
- speckle
- stain
- blotch
- stipple
- speck
- fleck
- marble
- mottle
- freckle
- stripe
- splotch
- set
- dapple
- streak
- band
- blot
- bar
- stud
- intersperse
- spatter
- bespatter
9
as in to send
to cause to go or be taken from one place to another shot a congratulatory e-mail to his friend as soon as he heard the good news Synonyms & Similar Words
- send
- ship
- transport
- transmit
- transfer
- dispatch
- deliver
- give
- pass
- pack (off)
- launch
- convey
- render
- consign
- drop
- present
- export
- forward
- import
- return
- hand over
- advance
- contribute
- address
- donate
- bestow
- resend
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- receive
- get
- accept
- obtain
- draw
- acquire
- earn
- secure
- gain
- procure
- garner
shoot
2 of 2noun
1
as in limb
a branch of a main stem especially of a plant collected the most tender shoots for the vegetable dish he was making Synonyms & Similar Words
- limb
- sprout
- offshoot
- growth
- twig
- outgrowth
- bud
- spray
- bough
- spur
- excrescence
- branchlet
- floret
- sprig
2
as in ache
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body there'd be a shoot of pain from that molar whenever I bit down Synonyms & Similar Words
- ache
- stitch
- pang
- pain
- tingle
- sting
- prick
- smart
- swelling
- hurt
- soreness
- twinge
- sore
- suffering
- torture
- agony
- throe
- headache
- harm
- injury
- tenderness
- inflammation
- discomfort
- distress
- misery
- anguish
- torment
- sufferance
- damage
- gripe
- detriment
- toothache
- complaint
- backache
- charley horse
- bellyache
- colic
- affliction
- stomachache
- earache
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ease
- comfort
- easiness