LingvoCore.com

shot put: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

C2 / Low Frequency / Niche
UK/ˈʃɒt ˌpʊt/US/ˈʃɑːt ˌpʊt/

Technical / Sport / Formal

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “shot put” mean?

A track and field event in which a heavy spherical ball (the shot) is thrown as far as possible from the shoulder.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A track and field event in which a heavy spherical ball (the shot) is thrown as far as possible from the shoulder.

The act of participating in the event; the implement (ball) itself; can also refer to the throwing technique or discipline.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant differences in core meaning or usage. Both refer to the same athletic event.

Connotations

Neutral technical/sporting term in both varieties.

Frequency

Equally low frequency outside athletic contexts in both regions.

Grammar

How to Use “shot put” in a Sentence

[athlete] won the shot put with a throw of [distance]She is competing in the shot put.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
win the shot putgold medal in the shot putshot put championshot put eventindoor shot put
medium
practice the shot putshot put circleshot put competitionwomen's shot putshot put final
weak
heavy shot putthrow the shot putshot put area

Examples

Examples of “shot put” in a Sentence

verb

British English

  • She will put the shot in the final round.
  • He has been putting the shot since he was sixteen.

American English

  • He put the shot a personal best of 22 meters.
  • She is putting the shot for the University of Texas.

adjective

British English

  • The shot put area was resurfaced.
  • He is a shot put specialist.

American English

  • She set a new shot put record.
  • The shot put competition starts at noon.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Virtually never used.

Academic

Used in sports science, kinesiology, or history of athletics.

Everyday

Used only when discussing track and field/athletics.

Technical

Precise term in athletics, with specific rules for the circle, stopboard, and throwing technique.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “shot put”

Neutral

putting eventweight throw

Weak

throwing event

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “shot put”

sprintjumpdistance run

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “shot put”

  • Using 'shot put' as a verb (e.g., 'He shot putted 20m' – INCORRECT). Correct: 'He put the shot 20m.'
  • Confusing 'shot put' with 'hammer throw' or 'discus throw'.
  • Pronouncing 'put' as /pʌt/ (like the verb); it is /pʊt/.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, 'shot put' is a noun. The action is described with the verb phrase 'to put the shot'.

'Shot' comes from the Old English 'scéot' meaning a heavy ball. 'Put' is an old sporting term meaning to push or thrust, from the same root as the modern verb.

Shot put uses a heavy, spherical ball pushed from the shoulder. Discus uses a disc thrown with a spinning motion, hammer uses a ball on a wire thrown with turns, and javelin is a spear thrown with a run-up.

In men's competitions, it is 7.26 kg (16 lbs). In women's competitions, it is 4 kg (8.8 lbs).

A track and field event in which a heavy spherical ball (the shot) is thrown as far as possible from the shoulder.

Shot put is usually technical / sport / formal in register.

Shot put: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʃɒt ˌpʊt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʃɑːt ˌpʊt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

SHOT (a heavy metal ball) + PUT (an old word meaning 'to push' or 'throw') – think of putting (pushing) a heavy shot from your shoulder.

Conceptual Metaphor

POWER IS FORWARD PROPULSION (The athlete's strength is metaphorically transferred into the forward motion of the shot).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
To win the , an athlete must propel a heavy metal ball the greatest distance from a seven-foot circle.
Multiple Choice

What is the correct verb to describe the action in shot put?

shot put: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples | Lingvocore