cockshot: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowArchaic / Dialectal / Historical
Quick answer
What does “cockshot” mean?
A single, unaimed or casual shot, often taken at random.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A single, unaimed or casual shot, often taken at random.
Historically, a term for a kind of wild or reckless shot; also, in some dialects, a sudden, quick movement or a narrow passage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally obsolete in both varieties. No significant contemporary difference in usage patterns.
Connotations
Historically, in both varieties, it implied a careless or speculative shot. In modern context, if encountered, it might be misconstrued due to the first syllable.
Frequency
Extremely rare and not found in modern corpora. May appear in historical novels or accounts of hunting/shooting.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Only in historical linguistics or the study of obsolete lexicon.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Not used in modern technical fields.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cockshot”
- Using it in modern contexts.
- Confusing it with 'potshot', which is the modern equivalent.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic word and is not part of modern active vocabulary.
Historical evidence for verbal use is scant. It is primarily recorded as a noun.
Only in the context of reading historical texts or specialized dialect studies.
Due to the potential misinterpretation of its first syllable, which has acquired vulgar connotations not originally present.
A single, unaimed or casual shot, often taken at random.
Cockshot is usually archaic / dialectal / historical in register.
Cockshot: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒk.ʃɒt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːk.ʃɑːt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a rooster (cock) pecking randomly at the ground—a 'cockshot' is a similarly random, unpracticed shot.
Conceptual Metaphor
AIMING IS CAREFUL GUIDANCE; thus, a lack of aiming is conceptualized as random or wild action.
Practice
Quiz
In historical usage, what did a 'cockshot' typically imply?