# shot across the bow

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/shot-across-the-bow
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A warning that negative consequences will be faced if something is carried out or allowed to continue.

## Examples

- The manager gave us a shot across the bow about our late reports.
- Her sharp look is a shot across the bow to stop talking.
- The regulator issued a shot across the bow, warning the company that further violations would lead to heavy fines.
- The landlord sent a shot across the bow by mailing a formal notice after the tenant missed only one day of rent.
- The teacher fired a shot across the bow by taking away the student's phone for five minutes to prevent further distractions during the final exam.
- By canceling the contract, the client fired a shot across the bow, signaling that they would no longer tolerate the firm's consistent failure to meet deadlines.

## Origin

Derived from the naval practice of discharging a cannonball over the front portion of an opposing vessel. The projectile was intended to miss the hull but cross its path, providing a visual and auditory signal for the ship to stop or alter its course. As a method of communication, it was considered more economical than a broadside and significantly less paperwork than a sinking.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.