shoot
shoot
Shoot (verb) means to fire a weapon, or to hit someone or something with a projectile from one. Example: “The soldier shot at the target from a hundred metres away.”
verb
1
To fire a weapon, or to hit someone or something with a projectile from one.
"The soldier shot at the target from a hundred metres away."
"He was shot in the leg during the robbery."
"She shot an arrow at the target and hit the centre."
2
To film or photograph something.
"They shot the whole movie on location in Iceland."
"The crew will shoot the final scene on the beach tomorrow."
"She likes to shoot portraits in soft natural light."
3
To move very fast or suddenly in a direction.
"The car shot past us on the motorway."
"Pain shot up his arm when he touched the wire."
"The cat shot under the sofa when the doorbell rang."
noun
1
A new stem or sprout growing from a plant.
"Tiny green shoots pushed up through the soil after the rain."
"The gardener trimmed the new shoots from the rose bush."
"A single green shoot appeared in the pot after a week."
2
A session of filming or photography.
"The magazine shoot took all afternoon."
"The photographer arranged a wedding shoot in the park."
"We have an early shoot tomorrow for the television advert."
intj
1
A mild exclamation of annoyance or disappointment.
""Shoot, I forgot my keys again.""
"Shoot, I've left my phone on the train again!"
"Oh, shoot, the shop closed ten minutes ago."
How to use shoot
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo fire a weapon or send something fast, to film/photograph, or (as a noun) a plant sprout or filming session.
Common mistake
Don't confuse the plant "shoot" (a sprout) with "chute" (a sloped channel) — they sound alike but mean very different things.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
shoot a film
new shoots
shoot straight
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Word forms
- Plural
- shoots
- Third person singular
- shoots
- Past tense
- shot, shotten, shooted
- Archaic forms
- shootest, shootedst, shotst, shooteth, shottest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The crew will _____ the final scene on the beach tomorrow.
Etymology
From Old English scēotan ("to shoot, throw"), from an ancient Germanic root meaning to hurl or launch quickly.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for shoot
See all rhymes for shoot →Frequently asked questions
What does “shoot” mean?
The word “shoot” means to fire a weapon, or to hit someone or something with a projectile from one. In plain terms, to fire a weapon or send something fast, to film/photograph, or (as a noun) a plant sprout or filming session.
How do you pronounce “shoot”?
“Shoot” is pronounced shoot (/ʃut/ in IPA).
How do you use “shoot” in a sentence?
Here is “shoot” used in a sentence: “Tiny green shoots pushed up through the soil after the rain.”
What part of speech is “shoot”?
Depending on how it is used, “shoot” can be a verb, a noun and an intj.
Where does the word “shoot” come from?
The word “shoot” comes from Old English. From Old English scēotan ("to shoot, throw"), from an ancient Germanic root meaning to hurl or launch quickly.
Is “shoot” a common word?
“Shoot” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “shoot” have?
“Shoot” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to fire a weapon, or to hit someone or something with a projectile from one.
What is the difference between shoot and chute?
They sound identical but are unrelated. Shoot is a verb meaning to fire a weapon, and also a noun for new plant growth. A chute is a sloping channel or slide for moving things downward — as in a rubbish chute — and is short for parachute. If a weapon or a goal is involved, the word is shoot.
What are the other meanings of shoot?
Besides firing a weapon, shoot has several common senses. In sport, you shoot to score a goal or a basket. In film and photography, you shoot a scene or a picture. In gardening, a shoot is a young stem growing from a plant. It also works as a mild exclamation of annoyance.
What is an example of shoot in a sentence?
'The archer drew back her bow to shoot at the target' shows the core meaning — firing a projectile from a weapon. Other uses include 'they shoot the film next week' and 'green shoots appeared in spring,' but the primary sense remains releasing a projectile from a weapon.
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