shot in the dark

- 8 dictionary results

shot

1 [shot]

noun, plural shots or, for 6, 8, shot; verb, shot⋅ted, shot⋅ting.

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–noun

1.	a discharge of a firearm, bow, etc.

2.	the range of or the distance traveled by a missile in its flight.

3.	an aimed discharge of a missile.

4.	an attempt to hit a target with a missile.

5.	an act or instance of shooting a firearm, bow, etc.

6.	a small ball or pellet of lead, a number of which are loaded in a cartridge and used for one charge of a shotgun.

7.	such pellets collectively: a charge of shot.

8.	a projectile for discharge from a firearm or cannon.

9.	such projectiles collectively: shot and shell.

10.	a person who shoots; marksman: He was a good shot.

11.	Slang. a blow; punch: The prizefighter was knocked out by a shot in the chin.

12.	anything like a shot, esp. in being sudden and forceful.

13.	a heavy metal ball that competitors cast as far as possible in shot-putting contests.

14.	an aimed stroke, throw, or the like, as in certain games, esp. in an attempt to score.

15.	an attempt or try: He's entitled to a shot at the championship.

16.	a remark aimed at some person or thing.

17.	a guess at something.

18.	a hypodermic injection, as of a serum, vaccine, narcotic, or anaesthetic: He took a series of immunizing shots for hay fever.

19.	a small quantity, esp. an ounce, of undiluted liquor.

20.	an amount due, esp. at a tavern.

21.

Photography.

a.	a photograph, esp. a snapshot: Here's a nice shot of my kids.

b.	the act of making a photograph, esp. a snapshot.

22.	Movies, Television. a unit of action photographed without interruption and constituting a single camera view.

23.	an explosive charge in place for detonation, as in mining or quarrying.

24.	Metallurgy. comparatively hard globules of metal in the body of a casting.

25.	Nautical. a 90-foot (27-m) length of anchor cable or chain.

26.	Checkers. a compulsory series of exchanges, especially when it proves favorable to the aggressor.

27.

Textiles.

a.	a pick sent through the shed in a single throw of the shuttle.

b.	(in carpet weaving) filling yarn used to bind the pile to the fabric, usually expressed with a preceding number representing the quantity of picks used: three-shot carpet.

c.	a defect in a fabric caused by an unusual color or size in the yarn.

28.	a chance with odds for and against; a bet: a 20 to 1 shot that his horse will come in first.

–verb (used with object)

29.	to load or supply with shot.

30.	to weight with shot.

–verb (used without object)

31.	to manufacture shot, as in a shot tower.

—Idioms

32.	by a long shot. long shot (def. 4).

33.	call one's shots, Informal. to indicate beforehand what one intends to do and how one intends to do it.

34.	call the shots, Informal. to have the power or authority to make decisions or control policy: Now that he's chairman of the board, he calls the shots.

35.	have or take a shot at, make an attempt at: I'll have a shot at solving the problem.

36.	like a shot, instantly; quickly: He bolted out of here like a shot.

37.	shot in the arm, Informal. something that results in renewed vigor, confidence, etc.; stimulus: Her recent promotion has given her a shot in the arm. The new members gave the club a shot in the arm.

38.	shot in the dark, Informal. a wild guess; a random conjecture.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE sc(e)ot, (ge)sceot; c. G Schoss, Geschoss; akin to shoot

Related forms:

shotless, adjective

shotlike, adjective

Synonyms:
15. chance, go, essay.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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shot¹ (shŏt)

The firing or discharge of a weapon, such as a gun.
The distance over which something is shot; the range.
1. An attempt to hit a target with a projectile: His shot at the bear missed by inches.
2. An attempt to reach a target with a rocket: a moon shot.
3. Sports An attempt to score in a game, as in soccer or hockey.
4. Baseball A home run.
5. The flight or path of a projectile in a game.
6. A stroke in a game, as in golf or billiards.
7. An attempt; a try: took a shot at losing weight.
8. A guess.
9. An opportunity: gave him a fair shot at the part in the play.
10. A chance at odds; something to bet on: The horse was a four-to-one shot.
11. A solid projectile designed to be discharged from a firearm or cannon.
12. pl. shot Such projectiles considered as a group.
13. pl. shot Tiny lead or steel pellets, especially ones used in a shotgun cartridge.
14. One of these pellets.
15. A charge of explosives used in blasting mine shafts.
16. A detonation of an explosive charge.
17. A photographic view or exposure: got a good shot of that last model.
18. A developed photographic image.
19. A single cinematic take.
20. A hypodermic injection.
21. A small amount given or applied at one time: a shot of oxygen.
1. Sports An attempt to score in a game, as in soccer or hockey.
2. Baseball A home run.
3. The flight or path of a projectile in a game.
4. A stroke in a game, as in golf or billiards.
5. An attempt; a try: took a shot at losing weight.
6. A guess.
7. An opportunity: gave him a fair shot at the part in the play.
8. A chance at odds; something to bet on: The horse was a four-to-one shot.
9. A solid projectile designed to be discharged from a firearm or cannon.
10. pl. shot Such projectiles considered as a group.
11. pl. shot Tiny lead or steel pellets, especially ones used in a shotgun cartridge.
12. One of these pellets.
13. A charge of explosives used in blasting mine shafts.
14. A detonation of an explosive charge.
15. A photographic view or exposure: got a good shot of that last model.
16. A developed photographic image.
17. A single cinematic take.
18. A hypodermic injection.
19. A small amount given or applied at one time: a shot of oxygen.
Sports & Games
1. The flight or path of a projectile in a game.
2. A stroke in a game, as in golf or billiards.
3. An attempt; a try: took a shot at losing weight.
4. A guess.
5. An opportunity: gave him a fair shot at the part in the play.
6. A chance at odds; something to bet on: The horse was a four-to-one shot.
7. A solid projectile designed to be discharged from a firearm or cannon.
8. pl. shot Such projectiles considered as a group.
9. pl. shot Tiny lead or steel pellets, especially ones used in a shotgun cartridge.
10. One of these pellets.
11. A charge of explosives used in blasting mine shafts.
12. A detonation of an explosive charge.
13. A photographic view or exposure: got a good shot of that last model.
14. A developed photographic image.
15. A single cinematic take.
16. A hypodermic injection.
17. A small amount given or applied at one time: a shot of oxygen.
A pointed or critical remark.
Informal
1. An attempt; a try: took a shot at losing weight.
2. A guess.
3. An opportunity: gave him a fair shot at the part in the play.
4. A chance at odds; something to bet on: The horse was a four-to-one shot.
5. A solid projectile designed to be discharged from a firearm or cannon.
6. pl. shot Such projectiles considered as a group.
7. pl. shot Tiny lead or steel pellets, especially ones used in a shotgun cartridge.
8. One of these pellets.
9. A charge of explosives used in blasting mine shafts.
10. A detonation of an explosive charge.
11. A photographic view or exposure: got a good shot of that last model.
12. A developed photographic image.
13. A single cinematic take.
14. A hypodermic injection.
15. A small amount given or applied at one time: a shot of oxygen.
1. A solid projectile designed to be discharged from a firearm or cannon.
2. pl. shot Such projectiles considered as a group.
3. pl. shot Tiny lead or steel pellets, especially ones used in a shotgun cartridge.
4. One of these pellets.
5. A charge of explosives used in blasting mine shafts.
6. A detonation of an explosive charge.
7. A photographic view or exposure: got a good shot of that last model.
8. A developed photographic image.
9. A single cinematic take.
10. A hypodermic injection.
11. A small amount given or applied at one time: a shot of oxygen.
Sports The heavy metal ball that is put for distance in the shot put.
One who shoots in a particular way: a good shot with the rifle and the bow.
1. A charge of explosives used in blasting mine shafts.
2. A detonation of an explosive charge.
3. A photographic view or exposure: got a good shot of that last model.
4. A developed photographic image.
5. A single cinematic take.
6. A hypodermic injection.
7. A small amount given or applied at one time: a shot of oxygen.
1. A photographic view or exposure: got a good shot of that last model.
2. A developed photographic image.
3. A single cinematic take.
4. A hypodermic injection.
5. A small amount given or applied at one time: a shot of oxygen.
1. A hypodermic injection.
2. A small amount given or applied at one time: a shot of oxygen.
A drink, especially a jigger of liquor.
An amount to be paid, as for drinks; a bill.
Nautical A length of chain equal to 15 fathoms (90 feet) in the United States and 12 ¹/₂ fathoms (75 feet) in Great Britain.

tr.v. shot·ted, shot·ting, shots
To load or weight with shot.

[Middle English, from Old English sceot, scot; see skeud- in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary

shot

n.
a try at something. : Go ahead. Give it another shot.
mod.
exhausted; ruined. : Here's your pen back. It's shot anyway.
n.
a rocket launching. : The shot was canceled because of the weather.
n.
a small or quickly drunk drink of liquor, usually whiskey. : He stopped at every bar on the strip for a quick shot.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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shot in the dark

n.
a very general attempt; a wild guess. : It was just a shot in the dark. I had no idea I was exactly correct.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source

Word Origin & History

shot

O.E. scot, sceot "an act of shooting, that which is discharged in shooting," from P.Gmc. *skutan (cf. O.N. skutr, O.Fris. skete, M.Du. scote, Ger. Schuß "a shot"), related to sceotan "to shoot" (see shoot). Meaning "discharge of a bow, missile," is from O.E. gesceot; extended to other projectiles in M.E., and to sports (hockey, basketball, etc.) 1868. Another original meaning, "payment," is preserved in scot-free. Meaning "drink of straight liquor" first attested 1676. Meaning "try, attempt" is from 1756; adj. sense of "exhausted" is from 1930. Sense of "hypodermic injection" first attested 1904; fig. phrase shot in the arm "stimulant" first recorded 1922. Meaning "remark meant to wound" is recorded from 1841; hence cheap shot (1973). To call the shots is first attested 1967; shot in the dark is from 1895. Big shot "important person" first recorded 1929; earlier great shot (1861).

Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ²shot
past and past participle of SHOOT

Medical Dictionary

shot (shŏt)
n.

A hypodermic injection.
A small amount given or applied at one time.

Idioms & Phrases

shot in the dark

A wild, unsubstantiated guess; also, an attempt that has little chance for success. For example, It was a shot in the dark, but the engineers had a hunch that replacing the valve would make the system work, or You can try looking for your key on the beach, but I think it's a shot in the dark. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

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