shotgun
gb/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn/ us/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn/
B1
Inglés
~ 9500
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Sustantivo
B1
entity
1
Long gun firing many pellets
A long gun that shoots many small pellets at one time, often used for hunting birds or for close protection.
Patrón de uso:
to use [a shotgun] for [hunting/sport/protection]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse 'shotgun' with 'rifle'. A shotgun usually fires many small pellets that spread out, while a rifle fires a single bullet for long-distance, accurate shooting.
Sinónimos
firearm (A general word for any gun; not specific to the type like a shotgun is.)
Antónimos
unarmed (Describes a person or situation without weapons, the opposite condition of having a shotgun.)
Colocaciones
pump-action shotgun
|double-barreled shotgun
|sawed-off shotgun
|shotgun shell
|shotgun blast
|shotgun license
Temas
weapons
|sports
|outdoors
|law
Ejemplos
- He keeps a shotgun locked in a safe for home defense.
- The hunters loaded their shotguns before heading into the field at dawn.
- You must have a license to own a shotgun in this country.
- She fired the shotgun, and the clay target exploded in the air.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The man carries a shotgun when he goes hunting.
- A shotgun can hit a bird even if the aim is not perfect.
- You should never point a shotgun at a person.
- He cleaned his shotgun after the trip.
Sustantivo
informal
B2
entity
2
Front passenger seat in a car
The seat next to the driver at the front of a car, when people talk about who will sit there.
Patrón de uso:
to get shotgun in [a car]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes think 'shotgun' always means a gun. In car conversations, 'shotgun' often means the front passenger seat, especially in the game of shouting 'Shotgun!' to claim it.
Sinónimos
front seat (General term for the front passenger position; lacks the playful, choosing-game feeling of 'shotgun'.)
Antónimos
back seat (Refers to the rear seats, the usual alternative when someone else has 'shotgun'.)
Colocaciones
call shotgun
|ride shotgun
|get shotgun
|shotgun seat
Temas
daily life
|travel
|transportation
|daily_life
Ejemplos
- Whoever wins the game gets shotgun on the way home.
- She yelled 'Shotgun!' and ran to the car so she could have shotgun.
- I had shotgun on the road trip, so I helped the driver with directions.
- He always wants shotgun because he gets carsick in the back.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- My brother takes shotgun when we go to school.
- I do not like the back; I want shotgun.
- She calls shotgun every morning before we get in the car.
- Tom had shotgun, so I sat in the back.
Verbo
informal
B2
action
3
Claim a seat before others
To say first that you want a seat so that other people know it is yours, usually the front seat of a car.
Patrón de uso:
to shotgun [a seat/place]
Error frecuente:
Learners may try to say *'I call a shotgun'* instead of 'I call shotgun' or 'I shotgun the front seat.' Also, this verb is mostly used in casual speech; in formal situations, use 'I would like the front seat' or 'I’d like to sit in front.'
Sinónimos
claim (A neutral verb meaning to say something is yours; it does not carry the playful, game-like feeling of 'shotgun'.)
Antónimos
give up (To stop claiming a seat or let someone else take it, the opposite of 'shotgun' in this context.)
Colocaciones
shotgun the front seat
|shotgun it
|shotgun the window seat
|shotgun the couch
Temas
daily life
|travel
|daily_life
|transportation
Ejemplos
- I shotgun the front seat for the drive to the beach.
- She ran ahead to shotgun the best spot on the sofa.
- You can shotgun the aisle seat if you really want more legroom.
- He tried to shotgun the window seat, but someone else had already called it.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I shotgun the front seat every morning.
- He wants to shotgun the seat next to the driver.
- They always shotgun the best chairs at the party.
- You cannot shotgun that seat; I was here first.
Verbo
slang
C1
action
4
Drink a canned drink very fast
To drink a can of beer or another drink very fast by making a hole in the can so the drink pours quickly.
Patrón de uso:
to shotgun [a beer/drink]
Error frecuente:
Learners may think 'shotgun a beer' just means 'drink a beer' and miss the idea of a special, very fast drinking method. This verb is slang and mainly used with canned alcoholic drinks, especially beer.
Sinónimos
chug (Means to drink quickly, but does not require the special hole-in-the-can method that 'shotgun' usually suggests.)
Antónimos
sip (To drink slowly in small amounts, the opposite of shotgunning a drink.)
Colocaciones
shotgun a beer
|shotgun a can
|shotgun drinks
|who wants to shotgun one
Temas
social
|drinking
|food_drink
|daily_life
Ejemplos
- He bragged that he could shotgun a beer in under two seconds.
- They decided to shotgun their drinks before going into the concert.
- College students sometimes shotgun beers at parties, even though it can be dangerous.
- She refused to shotgun a can and just drank it normally instead.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- He can shotgun a beer very fast.
- They like to shotgun drinks at parties.
- I do not want to shotgun this; I will drink it slowly.
- She learned how to shotgun a can from her friends.
adjective
informal
C1
property
5
Forced or rushed, often due to pregnancy
Used about a marriage that happens very fast because the couple is under pressure, often because the woman is going to have a baby.
Patrón de uso:
a shotgun [wedding/marriage]
Error frecuente:
Learners may think 'shotgun wedding' always involves actual weapons. The term is usually figurative today and just means a wedding done quickly because of pregnancy or strong social pressure.
Sinónimos
forced (General word for something done without free choice; 'shotgun' often implies social or family pressure and sometimes pregnancy.)
Antónimos
voluntary (Emphasizes that the marriage or decision is made freely, without pressure, the opposite of a 'shotgun' situation.)
Colocaciones
shotgun wedding
|shotgun marriage
|shotgun engagement
Temas
family
|relationships
|society
|daily_life
Ejemplos
- Rumors spread that it was a shotgun wedding after the bride started showing a few months later.
- He always insisted their marriage was not a shotgun arrangement, even though they had a baby soon after.
- The film tells the story of a young couple pushed into a shotgun marriage by their families.
- Some people still feel ashamed and arrange shotgun weddings when a pregnancy is a surprise.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- They had a shotgun wedding because she was pregnant.
- Her parents wanted a shotgun marriage after they heard the news.
- He says their wedding was not a shotgun wedding.
- The movie is about a shotgun marriage in a small town.
adjective
C1
property
6
Broad, unfocused, and not targeted
Used about a plan or method that tries many things at the same time, without choosing a small, clear target.
Patrón de uso:
a shotgun [approach/strategy/method]
Error frecuente:
Learners may think 'shotgun approach' is about violence. In modern business and everyday speech, it usually just means 'not focused' or 'trying many things at once'.
Sinónimos
scattershot (Very close in meaning; also suggests random or spread-out effort, and is slightly more informal and vivid.)
Antónimos
targeted (Emphasizes that effort is focused on a clear, limited goal, the opposite of a 'shotgun' approach.)
Colocaciones
shotgun approach
|shotgun strategy
|shotgun method
|shotgun marketing
Temas
business
|communication
|strategy
|work
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- Their shotgun approach to marketing wasted money on people who were never likely to buy.
- Instead of a shotgun strategy, we need a focused plan that speaks to our core customers.
- He sent out a shotgun batch of job applications without tailoring any of his cover letters.
- The government moved away from a shotgun policy and adopted more targeted support programs.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The company used a shotgun approach and emailed everyone.
- A shotgun strategy can waste a lot of time.
- We need a plan, not a shotgun method.
- She took a shotgun approach and applied for every job online.
Sustantivo
technical
C2
entity
7
American football backfield formation
In American football, a way the team stands where the player who throws the ball (the quarterback) starts a few meters behind the player who gives him the ball (the center).
Patrón de uso:
to line up in [the shotgun]
Error frecuente:
Learners who know only the weapon meaning may be confused by sports reports saying a team is 'in the shotgun.' In this context, it names a specific formation, not a gun.
Sinónimos
spread formation (A related offensive formation; not identical, but often used in similar tactical discussions.)
Antónimos
under center (Refers to an offensive setup where the quarterback stands directly behind the center, contrasting with the shotgun position.)
Colocaciones
shotgun formation
|line up in shotgun
|operate out of the shotgun
|shotgun snap
Temas
sports
Ejemplos
- The offense shifted into the shotgun to give the quarterback more time.
- On third down they usually operate out of the shotgun formation.
- The coach prefers the shotgun because it suits a pass-heavy offense.
- From the shotgun, the quarterback read the defense and changed the play.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The team used the shotgun on most passing plays.
- In the shotgun, the quarterback stands farther back.
- They moved from under center to the shotgun.
- He learned how to play in the shotgun formation.
Sustantivo
technical
C1
entity
8
Long, very directional microphone
A special long microphone that listens mostly to sound from one direction and ignores other sounds around it.
Patrón de uso:
to use [a shotgun microphone] for [recording]
Error frecuente:
Learners may think 'shotgun mic' is slang for a microphone that looks like a gun. In fact, it is a technical name for a very directional microphone used in film and video work.
Sinónimos
directional microphone (A technical term for microphones that focus on one direction; not all directional microphones are shotgun-style.)
Antónimos
omnidirectional microphone (Picks up sound from all directions, the opposite of the focused pickup pattern of a shotgun microphone.)
Colocaciones
shotgun mic
|directional shotgun microphone
|boom-mounted shotgun
|camera-mounted shotgun mic
Temas
technology
|media
|arts_entertainment
Ejemplos
- The film crew used a shotgun mic to record dialogue from a distance.
- A shotgun microphone is ideal when you want to isolate a single voice in a noisy environment.
- He mounted a small shotgun mic on top of his camera for street interviews.
- The audio engineer switched from a lavalier to a shotgun to reduce background noise.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- They used a shotgun mic to record the actor.
- A shotgun microphone helps reduce noise from the sides.
- He put a shotgun mic on the video camera.
- The sound is clearer when we use a shotgun microphone.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
shotgun
AFI
GB/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn/
US/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn/
Sílabas y acento
shot - gun (2 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (shot)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: shotgun
- Plural: shotguns
Familia de palabras
Expresiones
call shotgun
1/kˈɔl ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn/
idiom
informal
Claim the front passenger seat
To say a special phrase first to say that you want the front seat next to the driver in a car.
Ejemplos
- We stepped outside and my brother immediately yelled, "I call shotgun!"
- You can’t call shotgun until you see the car.
- They argued about who had called shotgun first.
double-barreled shotgun
1/dˈʌbəl bˈɛɹəld ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn/
fixed phrase
Shotgun with two barrels
A shotgun that has two barrels side by side or one above the other, so it can shoot two times without reloading.
Ejemplos
- He inherited an old double-barreled shotgun from his grandfather.
- The hunter carried a double-barreled shotgun over his shoulder.
pump-action shotgun
1/pˈʌmp ˈækʃən ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn/
fixed phrase
technical
Shotgun reloaded by sliding the fore-end
A shotgun that you reload by moving part of it (the front grip) back and forward by hand.
Ejemplos
- The officer carried a pump-action shotgun in the patrol car.
- He racked the pump-action shotgun and loaded another round.
ride shotgun
1/ɹˈaɪd ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn/
idiom
informal
Sit in the front passenger seat
To sit in the front seat next to the driver in a car or other vehicle.
Ejemplos
- I’ll drive if you want to ride shotgun.
- She always rides shotgun so she can control the music.
- My dad let me ride shotgun for the first time on our trip.
sawed-off shotgun
1/sˈɔd ˈɔf ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn/
fixed phrase
Shotgun with a shorter barrel
A shotgun whose barrel and often back end have been cut shorter, making it smaller and easier to hide.
Ejemplos
- The police found a sawed-off shotgun hidden under the seat.
- Owning a sawed-off shotgun is illegal in many places.
shotgun approach
1/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn əpɹˈoʊt͡ʃ/
idiom
Broad, unfocused method or strategy
A way of doing something where you try many different things or talk to many different people instead of focusing on one clear target.
Ejemplos
- Their shotgun approach to advertising didn’t bring in many new customers.
- A shotgun approach to job hunting can be less effective than focusing on a few good opportunities.
- The company is moving away from a shotgun approach and toward more targeted campaigns.
shotgun formation
1/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn fɔɹmˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
American football offensive setup
In American football, a way the team stands where the quarterback starts a few meters behind the player who gives him the ball.
Ejemplos
- The team lined up in shotgun formation on third down.
- From the shotgun formation, the quarterback has more time to throw.
shotgun house
1/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn hˈaʊs/
fixed phrase
Narrow house with rooms in a line
A small, narrow house where the rooms are in a straight line from the front door to the back door.
Ejemplos
- New Orleans is famous for its colorful shotgun houses.
- They bought a tiny shotgun house and renovated it.
shotgun mic
1/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn mˈɪk/
fixed phrase
technical
Long, directional microphone
A long microphone that mostly records sound from one direction and is often used in film and video work.
Ejemplos
- The sound crew aimed a shotgun mic at the actor from off camera.
- For outdoor interviews, a shotgun mic can reduce background noise.
shotgun shell
1/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn ʃˈɛl/
fixed phrase
technical
Ammunition for a shotgun
A round of ammunition made to be fired from a shotgun, usually filled with many small pellets.
Ejemplos
- He picked up the empty shotgun shells from the ground.
- Different shotgun shells are used for different kinds of hunting.
shotgun start
1/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn stˈɑɹt/
fixed phrase
technical
Golf event where all groups start at once
In golf, a way to start a game where many groups start playing at the same time from different holes.
Ejemplos
- The charity tournament will use a shotgun start at 9 a.m.
- Because of the shotgun start, every group finished the round around the same time.
shotgun wedding
1/ʃˈɑtɡˌʌn wˈɛdɪŋ/
idiom
informal
Marriage forced by pressure or pregnancy
A wedding that happens very fast because the couple is under pressure, often because the woman is already pregnant.
Ejemplos
- Some people guessed it was a shotgun wedding when they heard the baby was due soon.
- The movie is about a young couple pushed into a shotgun wedding.
- They insist their ceremony wasn’t a shotgun wedding, even though it was planned in two weeks.