shoot

SHOOT/ʃuːt/

Verbshoots, shooting, shot

Noun pluralshoots

43 meanings of shoot

Practice

1
hit a targetverbtransitive
To hit a person, animal, or target with a bullet or arrow from a gun or bow.
Like pointing a toy gun at a target and firing.
Police are trained not to shoot a fleeing suspect.
She aimed carefully before shooting the target at the range.
UsageShoot someone means the shot hits them. Shoot at someone does not tell you whether the shot hits.
Similarhit
Note
2
make a filmverbtransitive or intransitive
To make a film or video, or take photos, with a camera.
The director shot the chase scene over three days.
They plan to shoot on location next month.
UsageSay a film was shot in a place, or we shoot tomorrow.
Similarfilm, photograph, record, tape
3
act of firingnounobsolete
The act of firing a weapon and sending a missile out.
The Turkish bow giveth a very forcible shoot.
1627, Francis [Bacon], Sylua SyluarumHere, shoot means a shot, the act of firing an arrow.
One underneath his horse to get a shoot doth stalk.
1612, Michael Drayton, Poly-OlbionHere, shoot means a shot, a chance to fire a weapon.
Note
4
let off (gun)verbtransitive
To fire a gun or bow so that a bullet or arrow comes out of it.
He learned to shoot a rifle at summer camp.
She shoots a bow better than anyone in the club.
UsageSay shot for the past: he shot the gun.
Similarfire, discharge
5
photo sessionnouncountable
A time when photos are taken, often for work or fun.
Like a special meeting just for taking pictures.
The fashion shoot lasted nearly six hours.
She scheduled three shoots for next week.
UsageSay a photo shoot or a fashion shoot.
Similarsession
Note
6
send flyingverbtransitive
To send something out fast and suddenly, or to throw it hard.
Volcanoes shoot ash high into the sky.
He shot the rubber band across the room.
Similarpropel, hurl, eject, fire, spurt
Note
7
score (golf)verbtransitive
To get a certain score in a game or sport.
She shot a 79 in the final round of golf.
He hopes to shoot par on the back nine.
UsageSay shot a 79 or shoot par.
Similarscore, card, post
8
zoomverbintransitive
To move very fast and all of a sudden.
Like an arrow flying fast from a bow.
The cat shot across the room when the door slammed.
Prices can shoot up overnight without any warning.
UsageUsually shoot out, shoot past or shoot up.
Similardart, bolt, dash, race, leap
Note
9
young stemnouncountable
The new green growth that comes up when a plant starts growing.
Like a baby plant's first little green stalk reaching up.
A tender shoot pushed up through the soil after the rain.
Green shoots appeared all over the garden in spring.
Similarsprout, sprig, stem, bud
Note
10
go huntingverbintransitive
To hunt birds or other animals using a gun.
They shoot on the estate every fall.
Every fall, he goes to shoot ducks with his father.
UsagePeople shoot on an estate or go shooting.
Similarhunt
Note
11
gun sport eventnouncountable
An organized event where people hunt or compete at firing guns.
The hunters gathered before dawn for the big shoot.
Our club holds a pheasant shoot every winter.
Similarhunt, competition, contest
12
roll diceverbtransitive or intransitive
To roll the dice in a game where players bet money.
It's your turn to shoot, so pick up the dice.
The men shot dice for coins on the back steps.
UsageSay shoot dice or shoot craps.
Similarroll, throw
Note
13
race throughverbtransitive
To go very fast over or through something, like a boat racing down a wild river.
We put on life jackets before we shoot the rapids.
The small boat shot the gap between two big rocks.
UsageMost often shoot the rapids.
Similarrun, navigate, negotiate
Note

Less common meanings

14
mild curseinterjection
A word people say to show surprise, annoyance, or disappointment.
Like saying 'oops' when something goes wrong.
Shoot, I left the oven on at home!
We lost the game again? Shoot.
UsageA polite word to say when something goes wrong: Oh, shoot!
Similardarn, dang, drat, rats, shucks
Note
15
start talkingverbintransitive
To go ahead and start saying what you want to say.
Like opening a gate so the words can rush out.
You wanted to tell me something? Shoot.
"Can I tell you something?" "Sure, shoot."
UsageSay Shoot! to mean go ahead and tell me.
16
send a messageverbcolloquial
To quickly send a message or thing to someone.
Like quickly tossing a note across to a friend.
Shoot me a text when you land at the airport.
She shot him a quick message before the meeting.
UsageSay shoot me a text. In formal writing, say send.
Similarsend, drop, fire, ping
17
drink alcoholverbtransitive
To quickly drink a small glass of strong alcohol in one gulp.
We shoot a round of vodka to toast the bride.
She shot the last glass and slammed it down on the bar.
UsageSay shoot tequila: drink it in one gulp.
Similardown, slam, gulp
Oppositesip
Note
18
grow fastverbintransitive
For a plant to start growing new parts, or to grow very fast.
Bean plants shoot up fast in warm weather.
The corn shot up after a week of steady rain.
UsageUsually shoot up: the corn shot up.
Similarsprout, spring, grow
Note
19
sharp painverbtransitive
To send a sharp, sudden pain through part of the body.
Sudden movements shoot pain through her injured knee.
The hard twist shot a sharp pain up his leg.
UsagePain shoots down your leg. Say a shooting pain.
Similarsend, drive
Note
20
inject drugsverbcolloquialtransitive or intransitive
To put a drug like heroin into the body through a needle in a vein.
He shot heroin in an abandoned building.
He began to shoot heroin after he hurt his back.
UsageOften shoot up, or shoot heroin.
Similarfix
21
thrust upverbtransitive or intransitive
To stick out, or to push something out or up quickly.
Like pushing your arm out quickly to reach for something far away.
A turtle can shoot its head forward to grab food.
The boxer shot his fist forward in a quick jab.
UsageOften shoot your hand up to answer.
Similarthrust, stick, throw, fling
Note
22
release semenverbslangtransitive
To release semen out of the body at the height of sex.
Guys often shoot their load too soon when they are nervous.
He shot his load before he was even ready.
UsageMostly shoot one's load. It is crude.
23
verbrare
To get rid of something or turn it down completely.
24
verb
In the card game Hearts, to try to win every penalty card for a big reward.
25
verb
To hunt birds or animals with guns over an area.
26
verb
To slide a bolt fast to lock or open a door.
27
verb
To send a load, such as coal, sliding down a chute.
28
verbobsolete
To quickly turn into a different form, often by becoming solid.
If the menstruum be overcharged, metals will shoot into crystals.
1627, Francis [Bacon], Sylua Syluarum
29
verb
To push your body forward suddenly.
30
verb
In wrestling, to fight or speak for real, not as planned.
31
verb
To use a tool to find how far and which way a point lies.
32
verb
Of a sailboat, to keep moving forward after turning into the wind.
33
verb
To shave wood with a plane to make it straight or make pieces fit together.
34
verb
To mix colors in spots or streaks.
35
verb
To fly, or try to fly, the path a plane follows to land on a runway.
36
verb
To test the ground for oil using sound waves.
37
nounslang
In professional wrestling, something that is real rather than staged.
38
noun
A thread that goes across in weaving.
39
noun
A young pig, especially one that has just stopped drinking its mother's milk.
40
noun
A band of ore that runs roughly the same way as the main one.
41
noun
A slope that things like coal slide down.
42
noun
Winning every penalty card in a single round.
43
noun
A test of the ground for oil using sound waves.

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–13, 15–22

From Old English scēotan, meaning to shoot or throw. It goes back to an older Germanic word, and perhaps to an Indo-European root, with the same meaning.

Meaning 14

A softer, polite way of saying the swear word 'shit.'

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

The interjection 'shoot' is a softened substitute for 'shit'. en.wiktionary.org