shot
gb/ʃˈɑt/ us/ʃˈɑt/
A2
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
action
1
an attempt to do something
An act of trying to do something, often when you are not sure you will succeed.
Usage pattern:
to have/take [a] shot at [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'shot' in this sense with 'shot' meaning a photograph or bullet; context determines meaning.
Synonyms
attempt (More formal and neutral; 'shot' is slightly more informal.)
Antonyms
refusal (Indicates choosing not to try, the opposite of making an attempt.)
Collocations
take a shot
|have a shot
|give it a shot
Themes
daily life
|sports
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I’ve never baked bread before, but I’ll give it a shot.
- She took a shot at writing her own novel.
- This is your last shot to prove yourself.
- He had one shot at the championship and took it.
- Why not take a shot at solving the puzzle?
Learner examples
- I will give it a shot.
- She took a shot at the game.
- This is my only shot to win.
- He had a shot at the prize.
Noun
A2
action
2
act of firing a weapon
The act of shooting a gun or other weapon.
Usage pattern:
to fire [a] shot
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'shot' here with 'shoot' as a verb; 'shot' is the noun form for the event.
Synonyms
discharge (More technical and formal; used in legal or military contexts.)
Antonyms
ceasefire (A stop to shooting; opposite action.)
Collocations
fire a shot
|single shot
|warning shot
Themes
crime
|military
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The soldier fired three shots into the air.
- A warning shot was heard from the guard tower.
- Someone took a shot at the target from 100 meters away.
- He was injured by a single shot.
- The hunters fired several shots before hitting the deer.
Learner examples
- He fired one shot.
- I heard a loud shot.
- The police fired two shots.
- A warning shot was given.
Noun
A2
entity
3
a single photograph or frame
One picture taken with a camera, or one image in a movie or video.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'shot' meaning 'attempt' with 'shot' meaning 'photo'; context about cameras is key.
Synonyms
photograph (General term; 'shot' often used in media or casual speech.)
Antonyms
sequence (A series of shots rather than just one.)
Collocations
close-up shot
|wide shot
|action shot
Themes
media
|art
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Examples
- That’s a great shot of the mountains at sunset.
- The director planned the opening shot carefully.
- He showed me a close-up shot of the actor’s face.
- We need another shot for the wedding album.
- This scene requires several camera shots.
Learner examples
- I took a nice shot of the park.
- This is my favorite shot from the trip.
- The movie starts with a wide shot.
- She showed me a close-up shot.
Noun
B1
entity
4
small serving of alcohol
A small glass of strong alcohol that you drink quickly.
Common mistake:
Learners might confuse this with 'shot' meaning 'injection'; both involve small amounts but in different contexts.
Synonyms
tot (British English; less common globally than 'shot'.)
Antonyms
pint (A much larger serving size of drink.)
Collocations
take a shot
|order a shot
|shot glass
Themes
food and drink
|food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- He ordered a shot of whiskey.
- Let’s do a round of tequila shots!
- She poured herself a quick shot before leaving.
- They celebrated with shots at the bar.
- The bartender lined up five shots on the counter.
Learner examples
- I had one shot of vodka.
- He drank two shots quickly.
- She bought me a shot at the bar.
- We ordered shots for everyone.
Noun
A2
action
5
medical injection with syringe
Medicine given through a needle into your body.
Common mistake:
Confusing 'shot' here with drinking alcohol; context about doctors or health makes it clear.
Synonyms
injection (More formal medical term; 'shot' is common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
oral medication (Medicine taken by mouth instead of injection.)
Collocations
flu shot
|get a shot
|painkiller shot
Themes
health
Examples
- I have to get my flu shot this week.
- The nurse gave him a tetanus shot after the injury.
- Children receive several shots before starting school.
- She’s afraid of getting shots.
- He felt sick after his booster shot.
Learner examples
- I got my flu shot today.
- The doctor gave me a pain shot.
- My son needs two shots for school.
- She is scared of shots.
Grammar
Expressions
big shot
1/bˈɪɡ ʃˈɑt/
idiom
informal
important or influential person
An important person with power or influence in some area.
Examples
- He likes to act like he’s a big shot in politics.
- Some big shots from the industry attended the event.
by a long shot
1/bˈaɪ ə lˈɔŋ ʃˈɑt/
idiom
informal
by a large amount or degree
By much more than anything else; by far.
Examples
- This is our best season yet, by a long shot.
- She’s the smartest student in class by a long shot.
long shot
1/lˈɔŋ ʃˈɑt/
idiom
something unlikely to succeed
Something that is not likely to succeed but still worth trying sometimes.
Examples
- It’s a long shot, but we might win if we try hard enough.
- Finding him in this city will be a long shot.
take a shot at
1/tˈeɪk ə ʃˈɑt ˈæt/
fixed phrase
try to do something difficult or uncertain
To try to do something, often when it may be hard to succeed.
Examples
- I’ll take a shot at fixing your computer.
- He took a shot at answering the difficult question.
call the shots
1/kˈɔl ðə ʃˈɑts/
idiom
informal
Be in control and make decisions
To be the person who makes the decisions and controls what happens.
Examples
- In this company, it's the CEO who calls the shots.
- In this company, it’s the CEO who calls the shots.
- She likes calling the shots when planning trips.
- You can help, but I’m calling the shots here.