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Glite Dictionary
🔫 To fire a weapon 📷 To take a picture 💨 To move quickly ⚽ To kick or throw 🎯 A shooting event 💸 To waste money 🌱 A young plant 🌱 To start growing 🎲 To throw dice 🌟 To measure stars 🧵 To weave colors
to shoot

to shoot

299 1.3
To try to score by sending a ball toward the goal
  • verb
  • /ʃut/
translation icon : tirar
  • At the rear of the shack, Armando shoots hoops into a tattered net.
  • shoot the ball
  • shoot free throws
  • shoot baskets

They're still shooting free throws in their off hours.

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Examples

  • The player managed to shoot the ball into the net from a great distance.

  • I gotta at least shoot my shot before I leave.

    My Old Ass (2024)

  • We're gonna shoot a little pool.

    L!fe Happens (2011)

  • Say, you know, you shoot good, but you also shoot lucky.

    The Hustler (1961)

  • I'm going to shoot it right in this zone, OK?

  • He's got a chance to shoot here.

    Goal! (2005)

  • I take a few dribbles and shoot the easiest basket I ever will make, but I miss.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Once warmed up, each participant was asked to shoot 10 free throws, and the results were recorded.

    Academic text (2008)

  • From the booth, I watched two bikers shoot pool in the smoky light.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • When the whistle blew, he was ready to shoot and score the winning goal.

Synonyms

to kick
vsto shoot
∞ 1.0

Hit something with the foot, for example a ball in a sport

is the general act of propelling an object toward a target by any method
to pitch
vsto shoot
163 2.3

To throw a card in a card game to help decide the trump suit

is the general act of propelling an object toward a target across contexts
to blast
vsto shoot
45 3.5

To hit or shoot something with great force

is the general act of propelling an object toward a target without extreme force
to sling
vsto shoot
41 3.9

To throw something with force or without care

is about moving an object toward a target, not about force or casualness
to drive
vsto shoot
36 3.5

To hit a ball hard to make it go far

is the general act of propelling an object toward a target, not focused on power
to hit the ball
vsto shoot
34 1.0

To strike a ball with a bat or racket in a sport

is broader, covering all ways to propel an object toward a target
to lob
vsto shoot
22 3.5

To throw or hit something in a high arc

is the general act of propelling an object toward a target, not specifically high arcing
to stroke
vsto shoot
9 3.5

To hit a ball with a smooth, controlled movement in sports

is the general act of propelling an object toward a target, not stressing smooth technique
to loft
vsto shoot
5 4.8

To hit or throw something high into the air

is the general act of propelling an object toward a target, not focused on height
to sky
vsto shoot
  • Jargon
3 7.4

To hit something very high into the air in a sport

is the general act of propelling an object toward a target, not only very high
to let fly
vsto shoot
3 5.8

Send something suddenly and forcefully, like a rock or angry words

is the act of propelling an object toward a target, not necessarily sudden
to sling the ball
vsto shoot
  • Informal
3.4

To throw the ball quickly and casually

is the general act of propelling an object toward a target, not only quickly
to spank the ball
vsto shoot
  • Jargon
6.1

To hit a ball hard so it goes far

is the general act of propelling an object toward a target, not only forceful strikes
to let drive
vsto shoot
  • Archaic
8.2

To shoot something from a gun or bow

is the broad act of propelling an object toward a target, not specific to weapons

Idioms

to shoot oneself in the foot
  • Informal
20 8.4

Do or say something that harms your own chances

to shoot the breeze
  • Informal
9 6.8

To chat in a relaxed informal way about unimportant things

to shoot from the hip
  • Informal
6 8.1

To speak or act quickly without thinking carefully

to shoot the messenger
3 7.8

Blame or punish the person who brings bad news instead of fixing the problem

to shoot first and ask questions later
  • Informal
3 8.4

Act quickly without thinking or checking facts

to shoot for the stars
  • Informal
2 4.7

Try to reach a very high and difficult goal

to shoot the bull
  • US
2 8.1

To chat in a relaxed way about everyday things

to shoot from the lip
  • Informal
1 8.9

To speak quickly without thinking and risk upsetting people

to shoot yourself in the foot
  • Informal
1 7.5

Cause trouble for yourself by your actions, often by accident

to shoot off at the mouth
  • Informal
1 9.4

Say things quickly without thinking that may hurt people or make you sorry later

to shoot your bolt
  • Informal
1 8.6

To use up all your energy or chances so none remain

to shoot one's bolt
  • Informal
8.8

To use up all your energy or chances

to shoot one's load
  • Offensive
9.9

Use all your energy at once and have none left in a rude way

to shoot someone's face off
  • Offensive
9.9

To surprise someone very strongly, often in a funny way

Phrasal Verbs

to shoot down
207 4.4

Fire at a plane or missile so it falls to the ground

to shoot down
  • Informal
31 3.8

Say no to an idea or plan in a sudden, strong way

to shoot for
  • Informal
30 3.9

To try to reach a big, difficult goal

to shoot up
25 4.1

Rise quickly to a much higher level

to shoot one's mouth off
  • Informal
5 8.0

To say things carelessly or proudly without thinking about the result

to shoot off
  • Informal
3 4.1

To send a message quickly without much thought

to shoot craps
  • US
1 8.4

Play a dice gambling game to try to win money

to shoot holes in
  • Informal
1 7.2

To find and point out weak points in an idea, plan or argument

to shoot a question
  • Informal
1 3.7

To ask a question quickly and directly

to shoot a line
  • Informal
1 8.3

To send a short message to someone by phone or text

to shoot a line
  • Australian
9.6

To say proud things to make yourself seem better than you are

Compounds

photo shoot
56 3.1

A session when someone takes photos of people or things

turkey shoot
  • NSFW
3 8.4

An event or situation where winning is very easy, for example a shooting contest with easy targets

bamboo shoot
2 2.1

A young stem of bamboo you can eat and use as a vegetable in Asian cooking

point-and-shoot camera
2 3.4

A small light camera with automatic settings for taking simple photos

shoot 'em up
1 8.1

A fast action game or movie with a lot of shooting

shoot-'em-up
  • NSFW
1 8.0

A fast action film or game with lots of shooting and fights

How Powerful

to smash
50 3.3
to strike
553 2.4
to shoot
299 1.3
to pass
167 1.0
to tap
174 1.0

Surface Forms

shoot infinitive
shooting present participle
shoots third person singular
shot past
shot past participle

Etymology

Shoot comes from an old English word sceotan meaning 'to throw' or 'send quickly'. In sports, to shoot the ball is like 'throwing' it toward the goal, which is why we use the same word.