Definitions
01a photograph
A2 · Elementary Countable noun Photography
n. a single photograph or a continuous piece of film.
n. a single photographic image or an unbroken sequence of cinematic film exposures.
“He took a beautiful shot of the mountains during the hike.”
“The director insisted on re-filming the opening shot several times to capture the exact quality of the fading light.”
02an attempt
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Informal
n. an opportunity or a try at doing something.
n. an attempt or opportunity to achieve a goal, often used in the idiom 'give it a shot'.
“I don't know if I can fix the computer, but I'll give it a shot.”
“Despite having no prior experience in management, she decided to take a shot at the director position when it became vacant.”
03medical injection
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Medicine
n. an injection of a drug or a vaccine into the body.
n. a hypodermic injection, typically for the purpose of vaccination or medical treatment.
Español:chute
“The nurse gave me a flu shot in my left arm.”
“Travelers are often required to receive a series of shots before entering regions where certain tropical diseases are endemic.”
Synonyms
04small drink of alcohol
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a small amount of strong alcohol, usually drunk quickly from a small glass.
n. a small measure of spirits or liquor, typically equivalent to 30-44 milliliters.
“They ordered a shot of tequila at the bar to celebrate.”
“The bartender poured a precise shot of espresso into the cocktail shaker to finish the drink.”
05sports/firing
A2 · Elementary Countable noun Sports
n. the act of kicking, hitting, or throwing a ball toward a goal, or firing a gun.
n. the act of launching a projectile, bullet, or ball toward a specific target or goal.
“The striker took a powerful shot at the goal but missed.”
“The hunter waited patiently for a clear shot at the deer, ensuring he had a safe line of fire through the trees.”
06a critical remark
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal
n. a comment that is meant to be mean or critical of someone.
n. a critical or insulting remark aimed at a person, often used in the phrase 'cheap shot'.
“That comment about her hair was a bit of a mean shot.”
“During the debate, the candidate took a personal shot at his opponent's family history rather than discussing policy.”
Antonyms
07broken or worn out
C1 · Advanced Informal
adj. completely broken, ruined, or too old to use anymore.
adj. worn out, exhausted, or no longer functioning correctly.
“I need a new car because the engine in this one is completely shot.”
“After hiking for twelve hours without a break, my knees were absolutely shot and I could barely walk.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “shot” in context.
Verb
01. get a good shot
“I managed to get a good shot of the sunset before the light faded completely.”
verb + adj + noun
02. give a flu shot
“The nurse gave me a flu shot to protect me during the winter season.”
verb + adj + noun
03. give it a shot
“I've never tried surfing before, but I'm willing to give it a shot.”
verb + noun
04. take a shot of tequila
“They decided to take a shot of tequila to celebrate the end of their exams.”
verb + noun + of + noun
Adjective
05. long shot
“Winning the lottery is a long shot, but people still buy tickets every day.”
adj + noun
06. parting shot
“As he left the room, his parting shot was a sarcastic comment about her work.”
adj + noun
Preposition
07. in the shot
“There were too many people in the shot, so the photographer asked them to move.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“The cows were shot in June, leading to complaints about the manner of the cull which was carried out within earshot of members of the public.” “He had 30 shots on goal and made 30 key passes, highlighting his routes to points.” “These shots are still recommended to all children.” Etymology
The past participle of shoot.
Inherited from Middle English schot, from Old English sceot, from Proto-Germanic *skutą; compare the doublet scot.
See scot (“a share”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. big shot
02. chip shot
04. long shot
05. parting shot
07. shot heard round the world
08. shot in the dark
09. shots fired
Show all 11
11. who shot John
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/shot
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0