english
1
general::
verb
kill with gun:
They shoot murderers in some counties.
verb
play:
He likes to shoot pool.
verb
hunt:
He likes to shoot game.
Simple Definitions
2
general::
shoot sb down
[ M ]
to shoot and usually kill someone, showing no sympathy
• I saw Leonforte shoot him down like a dog in the street., shoot sth down
[ M ]
to destroy an aircraft or make an aircraft, bird, etc. fall to the ground by shooting at it
• He was killed during the war when his plane was shot down., shoot up
DRUGS
2. slang to put illegal drugs into your blood using a special needle
• She saw a girl shooting up in the toilets., shoot up
INCREASE
1. informal to grow in size, or increase in number or level, very quickly
• David has really shot up since I saw him last.
• Prices shot up by 25%.
Cambridge-Phrasal Verbs
3
general::
In addition to the idioms beginning with SHOOT, Also see LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN A BARREL; SURE AS SHOOTING; WHOLE BALL OF WAX (SHOOTING MATCH). Also see under SHOT.
American Heritage Idioms
4
general::
noun new part of a plant ADJ. fresh, green, new, tender, young | flowering | lateral, side | bamboo VERB + SHOOT have This plant hasn't got any shoots yet. | develop, produce, put out, send out These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. SHOOT + VERB appear, come up, develop, emerge, grow, sport Keep the bulbs in a cool dark place until shoots appear. occasion when you photograph sb/sth ADJ. fashion, film, photo, photographic, video a five-day photo shoot in Cyprus | location PREP. on a/the ~ He goes out on shoots with very little equipment., verb ADV. straight She practised for days until she could shoot straight. | accidentally He accidentally shot himself in the foot. | fatally Four policemen were fatally shot in the incident. | summarily If caught, the men could be summarily shot as spies. | back If they shoot, we shoot back. VERB + SHOOT want to | threaten to | be going to I thought for a moment that he was going to shoot. | try to PREP. at soldiers shooting at a target | with She was shot with a small automatic pistol. PHRASES shoot (sb) on sight Any intruders will be shot on sight. | shoot sb dead The police shot him dead. | shoot sb in the arm, leg, chest, etc., shoot to kill The soldiers were told to shoot to kill.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
5
general::
shoot
verb [ intransitive and transitive ] to use a gun to fire bullets, or to kill or injure someone using a gun:
• He ordered his men to stop shooting. • The guards shot the man as he was trying to escape. • President Kennedy was shot by a lone gunman.
fire
verb [ intransitive and transitive ] to shoot bullets from a gun, or send an explosive object towards someone or something:
• Soldiers fired into the crowd. • Helicopters fired rockets at several buildings. • He regained his balance, took aim, and fired. • The police fired into the air to make the crowd break up. • As soon as we crossed the border, enemy troops started firing at us. • Kendrick fired three shots at the President’s car. • Suddenly the car stopped, and the passenger got out and fired a Kalashnikov rifle at the police car.
launch
verb [ transitive ] to send a large rocket or missile into the air:
• American warships launched cruise missiles. • The guerrillas launched their rockets from densely populated towns.
open fire
to start shooting:
• Nineteen students were injured after a gunman opened fire. • Troops opened fire on a group of unarmed demonstrators. • The colonel gave the order for the soldiers to open fire.
shell
verb [ transitive ] to fire shells (= metal containers filled with an explosive substance ) at enemy soldiers, cities etc in a war, using large guns:
• Border towns have been shelled by enemy aircraft for the past two months. • British warships began shelling German positions along the coast.
bombard
verb [ transitive ] to attack a place for a long time with shells or bombs:
• Allied forces bombarded the coast prior to the invasion. • Troops bombarded the area with shells. • The allied forces bombarded the enemy trenches for weeks. • Cromwell’s men had been bombarding the fort with their artillery for several days.
take a potshot at somebody/something
to shoot at someone or something without aiming very carefully:
• Someone tried to take a potshot at him, but hit the man behind instead.
Longman-Thesaurus