shoot
B1Informal to neutral; the verb is common in everyday language, sports, and media contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To cause a projectile (bullet, arrow, etc.) to be propelled from a weapon; to take a photograph or video.
To move rapidly or suddenly in a particular direction; to score a goal in sports (especially football/basketball); to attempt to score; to begin filming a movie or scene; to inject a drug.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Highly polysemous. Context is crucial to determine meaning. Can refer to literal firing of a weapon, metaphorical rapid movement, sports scoring, photography/filmmaking, or the act of injecting drugs (slang).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In sports, 'shoot' is used in both, but 'take a shot' is more common in UK football commentary, while 'shoot the ball' is more common in US basketball. The slang 'shoot!' as a mild expletive is more American. The command 'Shoot!' to begin speaking is more common in American English.
Connotations
In both varieties, 'shoot' can imply haste or urgency. The noun form for a young plant growth is common in gardening contexts in both.
Frequency
The verb is extremely frequent in both. The slang drug injection meaning is equally recognized but stigmatized.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Shoot + object (shoot a gun)Shoot + at + object (shoot at the target)Shoot + object + complement (shoot him dead)Shoot + adverb/preposition (shoot past, shoot up)Shoot + to-infinitive (shoot to kill)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “shoot the breeze”
- “shoot yourself in the foot”
- “shoot for the stars”
- “shoot from the hip”
- “shoot the lights out”
- “a shot in the dark”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in metaphors like 'shoot for a target' or 'shoot an email over'.
Academic
Mostly in historical (military) or media studies contexts (film shooting).
Everyday
Very common: sports, photography, describing sudden movement ('He shot out of his chair').
Technical
Film production, ballistics, archery, basketball/football tactics, botany (new shoot).
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The new bamboo shoot was already six inches tall.
- The film crew set up for the final shoot of the day.
- He had one clean shoot at goal but missed.
American English
- The deer was eating the tender shoots at the edge of the woods.
- The photo shoot was scheduled for downtown at noon.
- On his last shoot, he scored the winning three-pointer.
verb
British English
- The striker managed to shoot just wide of the post.
- Could you shoot an email to the team about the meeting?
- He shot me a suspicious look across the crowded pub.
American English
- She told him to shoot the ball before the clock ran out.
- I'll shoot you a text when I'm on my way.
- Prices have shot up since last summer.
interjection
British English
- 'Oh, shoot! I've left my keys inside.' (mild, somewhat dated)
American English
- 'Shoot! I forgot to call her back.' (common mild expletive)
- 'Okay, shoot. What's your question?' (invitation to speak)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Don't shoot the ball at the window!
- The cat shoots under the bed when it's scared.
- The photographer asked us to stand still while he shot the picture.
- She shot to fame after her first novel was published.
- The director decided to shoot the entire scene in one continuous take.
- Investors are worried that inflation will shoot past 5% this quarter.
- The journalist's question shot straight to the heart of the political scandal.
- He was accused of shooting up performance-enhancing drugs before the race.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SHOE with a T-shaped trigger. You 'SHOOT' a bullet from a gun shaped like a T from your SHOE. (Silly, but connects sound and concept).
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE PROJECTILES ('He shot a question at her'). TIME MOVES RAPIDLY FORWARD ('The year shot by'). ATTEMPTS ARE SHOTS ('Give it a shot', 'shoot for a promotion').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'стрелять' for all meanings. 'Shoot a film' is 'снимать фильм', not 'стрелять фильм'. 'Shoot a glance' is 'бросить взгляд'. The plant 'shoot' is 'побег' or 'росток'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect past tense: 'shooted' instead of 'shot'. Incorrect preposition: 'shoot to someone' instead of 'shoot at someone'. Confusing 'shoot' with 'shut' in spelling/pronunciation.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'shoot' used in a cinematographic sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The correct past simple and past participle form is 'shot'. 'Shooted' is a common error, especially among learners.
'Shoot' + object means you hit or intend to hit that object (shoot the target). 'Shoot at' + object means you fire in the direction of the object, but may not hit it (shoot at the target).
Yes. It's often used with adverbs like 'up', 'down', 'past', 'out', etc., to indicate very rapid movement. E.g., 'The car shot past us.' 'His hand shot up to answer.'
It is a euphemistic minced oath, a less offensive substitution for a profanity with a similar sound. It's more common in American English.