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Definition of shot noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

shot

noun
 
 
/ʃɒt/
 
/ʃɑːt/
Idioms
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    with gun

  1.  
     [countable] the act of firing a gun; the sound this makes
    • We heard some shots in the distance.
    • shot at somebody/something Someone took a shot at the car.
    • shot to something She was killed by a single shot to the head.
    • The man fired several shots from his pistol.
    see also gunshot, potshot
    Extra Examples
    • I heard a pistol shot.
    • The shot hit him in the chest.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • excellent
    • fine
    • good
    • …
    … of shots
    • volley
    verb + shot
    • aim
    • fire
    • take
    • …
    shot + verb
    • ring out
    • hit somebody/​something
    • strike somebody/​something
    • …
    preposition
    • shot from
    • shot to
    See full entry
  2. [countable] a good, bad, etc. shot a person who shoots a gun in a particular way (well, badly, etc.)
    • She is a crack shot with a rifle.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • crack
    • excellent
    • good
    • …
    See full entry
    3.

    in sport

  3.  
     [countable] an attempt to score a goal or point in a game
    • He took a shot from the edge of the box.
    • Taylor scored with a low shot into the corner of the net.
    • She turned and hit a shot that looked like a certain goal.
    • A defender managed to block his shot.
    • shot at something Unfortunately her shot at goal missed.
    • shot on something England had a few shots on goal.
    see also hook shot, jump shot, set shot, wrist shot
    Extra Examples
    • He scuffed a shot from the edge of the box.
    • I took a few more shots at the target, but missed every time.
    • My first shot went wide, but my second was right on target.
    • The goalkeeper parried his first shot but he scored from the rebound.
    • Their captain tried a long shot on goal.
    • her right-footed shot from outside the penalty area
    Topics Sports: ball and racket sportsb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • excellent
    • fine
    • good
    • …
    verb + shot
    • crack
    • get in
    • have
    • …
    shot + verb
    • be on target
    • go wide
    • miss
    • …
    preposition
    • shot at
    • shot on
    • shot from
    • …
    See full entry
  4.  
     [countable] an act of hitting the ball
    • Good shot!
    • Go on—take another shot.
    • She started the day one shot off the lead.
    see also chip shot, drop shot, passing shotTopics Sports: ball and racket sportsb2
  5. (often the shot)
     [singular] the heavy ball that is used in the sports competition called shot-putTopics Sports: other sportsc2

    6. photograph

  6.  
     [countable] a photograph
    • We stood there patiently while he snapped a few shots.
    • I got some good shots of people at the party.
    • I decided to stop and take a quick shot of the street.
    Synonyms photographphotographpicture ▪ photo ▪ shot ▪ snapshot/​snap ▪ printThese are all words for a picture that has been made using a camera.photograph a picture that has been made using a camera:
    • a photograph of the house
    • Can I take a photograph?
    picture a photograph:
    • We had our picture taken in front of the hotel.
    photo a photograph:
    • a passport photo
     photograph, picture or photo?Photograph is slightly more formal and photo is slightly less formal. Picture is used especially in the context of photographs in newspapers, magazines and books.shot a photograph:
    • I tried to get a shot of him in the water.
    Shot often places more emphasis on the process of taking the photograph, rather than the finished picture.    snapshot/​snap an informal photograph that is taken quickly, and not by a professional photographer:
    • holiday snaps
    print a copy of a photograph that is produced from film or from a digital camera:
    • a set of prints
    Patterns
    • a colour photograph/​picture/​photo/​snap/​print
    • to take a photograph/​picture/​photo/​shot/​snapshot
    see also mugshot, screenshot, snapshot
    Extra Examples
    • I tried to get a shot of him in the water.
    • publicity shots
    • She took a wide-angle shot of the house and garden.
    • Kate snapped a few shots with her camera through the window.
    • I got some great shots of the runners as they crossed the line.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • camera
    • close-up
    • long
    • …
    … of shots
    • series
    verb + shot
    • get
    • take
    • snap
    • …
    shot + verb
    • show something
    preposition
    • shot from
    • shot of
    See full entry
    7.

    scene in film

  7.  
     [countable] a scene in a film that is filmed continuously by one camera
    • the opening shot of a character walking across a desert
    • The director is clearly fond of tracking and aerial shots.
    • The exterior shots were filmed in Morocco and Malta.
    Topics Film and theatreb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • camera
    • close-up
    • long
    • …
    … of shots
    • series
    verb + shot
    • get
    • take
    • snap
    • …
    shot + verb
    • show something
    preposition
    • shot from
    • shot of
    See full entry
    8.

    bullets

  8. (also lead shot)
     [uncountable] a large number of small metal balls that you fire together from a shotgun
    • Round shot whistled over our heads.
    • Conservationists have called on the government to ban the use of lead shot in shotgun cartridges.
    see also buckshot
  9. [countable]
    (plural shot)
    a large stone or metal ball that was shot from a cannon or large gun in the past

    10. remark/action

  10. [countable] a remark or an action that is usually one of a series, and is aimed against somebody/something that you are arguing or competing with
    • This statement was the opening shot in the argument.
    • The supermarket fired the first shot in a price war today.
    • He couldn't resist taking a cheap shot at his political opponent.
    see also parting shot
    Extra Examples
    • As her parting shot she warned Pete never to come near her again.
    • the opening shot in the election campaign
    Topics Opinion and argumentc2

    11. attempt

  11. [countable, usually singular] shot (at something/at doing something) (informal) the act of trying to do or achieve something
    • The team are looking good for a shot at the title.
    • I've never produced a play before but I'll have a shot at it.
    • I'm willing to give it a shot.
    • Just give it your best shot (= try as hard as you can) and you'll be fine.
    see also a long shot, one-shotTopics Successc2

    12. drug

  12. [countable] (informal, especially North American English) a small amount of a drug that is put into your body using a syringe synonym injection
    • a flu shot (= to protect you against flu)
    • a shot of morphine
    Extra Examples
    • Have you had all your shots for your expedition yet?
    • The applause acted on her like a shot of adrenalin.
    • a shot of penicillin
    Topics Healthcarec1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • booster
    • allergy
    • flu
    • …
    verb + shot
    • give somebody
    • get
    • have
    • …
    preposition
    • shot of
    See full entry
    13.

    drink

  13. [countable] (informal) a small amount of a drink, especially a strong alcoholic one
    • a shot of whisky
    14.

    of spacecraft

  14. [countable] (especially in compounds) the process of sending a spacecraft into and through space
    • The space shot was shown live on television.
    • a moon shot
    15.

    horse/dog in race

  15. [singular] (used with numbers) a horse, dog, etc. that has the particular chance of winning a race that is mentioned
    • The horse is a 10–1 shot.
    Topics Sports: other sportsc2
    16. Word Originnoun Old English sc(e)ot, gesc(e)ot of Germanic origin; related to German Geschoss, from the base of the verb shoot.
Idioms
a big noise/shot/name
  1. an important person
call the shots/tune
  1. (informal) to be the person who controls a situation
like a shot
  1. (informal) very quickly and without hesitating
    • If I had the chance to go there, I'd go like a shot.
a long shot
  1. an attempt or a guess that is not likely to be successful but is worth trying
    • It's a long shot, but it just might work.
    Topics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc2, Difficulty and failurec2
not by a long shot (North American English, British English)
(also not by a long chalk British English)
  1. not nearly; not at all
    • It's not over yet—not by a long shot.
parting shot
  1. a final remark, especially an unkind one, that somebody makes as they leave
    • As her parting shot she warned Pete never to come near her again.
a shot across the/somebody’s bows
  1. something that you say or do as a warning to somebody about what might happen if they do not change, etc.
a shot in the arm
  1. something that encourages somebody/something or gives them the help they need
    • Their enthusiasm has been a shot in the arm for all of us.
a shot/stab in the dark
  1. a guess; something you do without knowing what the result will be
    • The figure he came up with was really just a shot in the dark.
    • It was only a stab in the dark, but I hoped I might be right.
    Topics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc2
See shot in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee shot in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: shot

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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