(shoots, shooting, shot)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If someone shoots a person or an animal, they kill them or injure them by firing a bullet or arrow at them.
The police had orders to shoot anyone who attacked them...
The man was shot dead by the police during a raid on his house...
Her father shot himself in the head with a shotgun.
VERB: V n, V n with adj, V n in n
2.
To shoot means to fire a bullet from a weapon such as a gun.
He taunted armed officers by pointing to his head, as if inviting them to shoot...
The police came around the corner and they started shooting at us...
She had never been able to shoot straight...
VERB: V, V at n, V adv/prep
3.
If someone or something shoots in a particular direction, they move in that direction quickly and suddenly.
They had almost reached the boat when a figure shot past them...
VERB: V adv/prep
4.
If you shoot something somewhere or if it shoots somewhere, it moves there quickly and suddenly.
Masters shot a hand across the table and gripped his wrist...
You'd turn on the water, and it would shoot straight up in the air.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V adv/prep
5.
If you shoot a look at someone, you look at them quickly and briefly, often in a way that expresses your feelings.
Mary Ann shot him a rueful look...
The man in the black overcoat shot a penetrating look at the other man.
VERB: V n n, V n at n
6.
If someone shoots to fame, they become famous or successful very quickly.
Alina Reyes shot to fame a few years ago with her extraordinary first novel...
VERB: V to n
7.
When people shoot a film or shoot photographs, they make a film or take photographs using a camera.
He'd love to shoot his film in Cuba...
VERB: V n
•
Shoot is also a noun.
...a barn presently being used for a video shoot.
N-COUNT
8.
Shoots are plants that are beginning to grow, or new parts growing from a plant or tree.
N-COUNT: usu pl
9.
In sports such as football or basketball, when someone shoots, they try to score by kicking, throwing, or hitting the ball towards the goal.
Spencer scuttled away from Young to shoot wide when he should have scored...
VERB: V adv/prep
10.
11.
If you shoot the breeze or shoot the bull with someone, you talk to them about things which are not very serious or important. (mainly AM INFORMAL)
They expected me to sit up and shoot the breeze with them till one or two in the morning...
I also met with Pollack again to kind of shoot the bull.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR with n, pl-n V
12.
to
shoot from the hip: see
hip