shot
shot1 S2 W2 /ʃɒt $ ʃɑːt/ 
noun
a. an act of firing a gun:
He pulled out his rifle and fired three shots.
She was killed by a single shot to the head.
b. the sound of a gun being fired:
Where were you when you heard the shot?
c. a good/bad etc shot someone who is good, bad etc at shooting:
Sergeant Cooper is an excellent shot.
2. BULLETS [uncountable]
a. small metal balls that are shot, many at a time, from a shotgun
b. old use large metal balls that are shot from a cannon
3. ATTEMPT TO SCORE [countable] an attempt in sport to throw, kick, or hit the ball towards the place where you can get a point:
Shaw took a shot at the goal from the halfway line, but missed.
Good shot __
4. PHOTOGRAPH [countable] a photograph
SYN picture
shot of
a close-up shot of a demonstrator being beaten by a policeman
I managed to get some good shots of the carnival.
We hired a photographer to take some publicity shots.
action shots of football players (=ones taken of people while they are moving) ⇨ mugshot
5. FILM/TV [countable] the view of something in a film or television programme that is produced by having the camera in a particular position:
In the opening shot, we see Travolta’s feet walking down the sidewalk.
6. ATTEMPT [countable] informal an attempt to do something or achieve something, especially something difficult
shot at (doing) something
This is her first shot at directing a play.
If Lewis won his next fight, he would be guaranteed a shot at the title (=chance to win the title).
I decided to have a shot at decorating the house myself.
I didn’t think I had much chance of winning the race, but I thought I’d give it a shot (=try to do it).
The network finally gave Keaton a shot at presenting his own show.
7. give something your best shot to make as much effort as you can to achieve something difficult:
This case is going to be tough, but I promise I’ll give it my best shot.
Lydia didn’t get the job, but at least she gave it her best shot.
8. be a long shot
a. used to say that a plan is worth trying, even though you think it is unlikely to succeed:
It’s a long shot, but someone might recognise her from the photo and be able to tell us where she lives.
b. American English if someone is a long shot, they are not likely to be chosen for a job or to win an election, competition etc:
Turner is a long shot to win next month’s mayoral election.
9. a 10 to 1 shot/50 to 1 shot etc a horse, dog etc in a race, whose chances of winning are expressed as numbers
10. a shot in the dark an attempt to guess something without having any facts or definite ideas:
My answer to the last question was a complete shot in the dark.
11. CRITICAL REMARK [countable] a remark that is intended to criticize or hurt someone:
I’m not going to sit here listening to you two take shots at each other all night.
She couldn’t resist a parting shot (=one that you make just before you leave) – ‘And you were a lousy lover__’
That was a cheap shot (=one that is unfair and unreasonable)__
12. like a shot if you do something like a shot, you do it very quickly and eagerly:
If he asked me to go to Africa with him, I’d go like a shot__
13. a shot across the bows/a warning shot (across the bows) something you say or do to warn someone that you oppose what they are doing and will try to make them stop it – used especially in news reports:
The president’s own supporters are firing a warning shot across his bows.
14. big shot an important or powerful person, especially in business:
a big shot in the record business
15. DRINK [countable] a small amount of a strong alcoholic drink
shot of
a shot of tequila
a shot glass (=a small glass for strong alcoholic drinks)
16. DRUG [countable] especially American English an injection of a drug (=when it is put into the body with a needle)
SYN jab British English:
Have you had your typhoid and cholera shots?
17. a shot in the arm something that makes you more confident or more successful:
The new factory will give the local economy a much-needed shot in the arm.
18. HEAVY BALL [countable] a heavy metal ball that competitors try to throw as far as possible in the sport of shot put
⇨ call the shots at call1(9), ⇨ by a long chalk/shot at long1(21), ⇨ long shot at long1(18), ⇨ buckshot, gunshot, snapshot, pot shot
■ verbs
▪fire a shot The passenger in the car fired three shots.
▪take a shot at somebody (=fire a shot trying to hit someone) Someone took a shot at her, but missed.
▪a shot hits somebody/something The shot hit the burglar in the chest and killed him instantly.
▪a shot misses somebody/something (=doesn’t hit them) The first shot missed my head by inches.
▪a shot rings out (=is heard) Suddenly, two shots rang out.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + shot
▪a pistol/rifle shot A pistol shot rang out in the darkness.
▪a single shot (=just one shot) He died from a single shot to his heart.
▪the fatal shot (=the shot that killed someone) It wasn’t clear who had fired the fatal shot.
▪a warning shot (=one fired as a warning to someone) Police fired warning shots into the air.
▪a good shot (=one that hits what you aim at) It was difficult to get a good shot in the dense forest.
■ phrases
▪a volley of shots (=a number of shots fired quickly) He fired off a volley of shots from his rifle.
▪ photograph a picture taken using a camera: Visitors are not allowed to take photographs inside the museum. | our wedding photographs
▪photo informal a photograph: a way of displaying your digital photos | Do you want me to take your photo?
▪picture a photograph of someone or something: I saw her picture in the paper the other day. | This is a really good picture of Sarah. | Can I take your picture?
▪snap British English informal, snapshot especially American English a photograph that you take quickly and without thinking carefully about how it will look, for example when you are on holiday: Patrick showed me his holiday snaps. | She showed me a snapshot of her three children.
▪shot informal a photograph – used especially by people who often take photographs: I got some great shots of Mount Fuji. | It's a lovely shot.
▪print a photograph that has been printed on photographic paper: a set of 4 by 6 inch prints
shot2 adjective [not before noun]
1. spoken in bad condition because of being used too much or treated badly:
My back tires are shot.
My nerves were shot to pieces after my driving test.
2. be/get/want shot of somebody/something British English spoken to get rid or want to get rid of someone or something:
I know the director wants shot of me.
3. be shot through with something
a. if a piece of cloth is shot through with a colour, it has very small threads of that colour woven into it:
a fine silk shot through with gold threads
b. to have a lot of a particular quality or feeling:
a charming collection of stories, shot through with a gentle humour
shot3
the past tense and past participle of shoot
| I |
noun Language: Old English
Origin: scot
1. GUN [countable]Origin: scot
a. an act of firing a gun:
b. the sound of a gun being fired:
c. a good/bad etc shot someone who is good, bad etc at shooting:
2. BULLETS [uncountable]
a. small metal balls that are shot, many at a time, from a shotgun
b. old use large metal balls that are shot from a cannon
3. ATTEMPT TO SCORE [countable] an attempt in sport to throw, kick, or hit the ball towards the place where you can get a point:
4. PHOTOGRAPH [countable] a photograph
SYN picture
shot of
5. FILM/TV [countable] the view of something in a film or television programme that is produced by having the camera in a particular position:
6. ATTEMPT [countable] informal an attempt to do something or achieve something, especially something difficult
shot at (doing) something
7. give something your best shot to make as much effort as you can to achieve something difficult:
8. be a long shot
a. used to say that a plan is worth trying, even though you think it is unlikely to succeed:
b. American English if someone is a long shot, they are not likely to be chosen for a job or to win an election, competition etc:
9. a 10 to 1 shot/50 to 1 shot etc a horse, dog etc in a race, whose chances of winning are expressed as numbers
10. a shot in the dark an attempt to guess something without having any facts or definite ideas:
11. CRITICAL REMARK [countable] a remark that is intended to criticize or hurt someone:
12. like a shot if you do something like a shot, you do it very quickly and eagerly:
13. a shot across the bows/a warning shot (across the bows) something you say or do to warn someone that you oppose what they are doing and will try to make them stop it – used especially in news reports:
14. big shot an important or powerful person, especially in business:
15. DRINK [countable] a small amount of a strong alcoholic drink
shot of
16. DRUG [countable] especially American English an injection of a drug (=when it is put into the body with a needle)
SYN jab British English:
17. a shot in the arm something that makes you more confident or more successful:
18. HEAVY BALL [countable] a heavy metal ball that competitors try to throw as far as possible in the sport of shot put
⇨ call the shots at call1(9), ⇨ by a long chalk/shot at long1(21), ⇨ long shot at long1(18), ⇨ buckshot, gunshot, snapshot, pot shot
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| II |
adjective [not before noun]1. spoken in bad condition because of being used too much or treated badly:
2. be/get/want shot of somebody/something British English spoken to get rid or want to get rid of someone or something:
3. be shot through with something
a. if a piece of cloth is shot through with a colour, it has very small threads of that colour woven into it:
b. to have a lot of a particular quality or feeling:
| III |
the past tense and past participle of shoot