shotgun
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.
to use [a shotgun] for [hunting/sport/protection]
- 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.
- 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.
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.
to get shotgun in [a car]
- 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.
- 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.
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.
to shotgun [a seat/place]
- 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.
- 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.
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.
to shotgun [a beer/drink]
- 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.
- 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.
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.
a shotgun [wedding/marriage]
- 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.
- 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.
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.
a shotgun [approach/strategy/method]
- 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.
- 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.
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).
to line up in [the shotgun]
- 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.
- 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.
Long, very directional microphone
A special long microphone that listens mostly to sound from one direction and ignores other sounds around it.
to use [a shotgun microphone] for [recording]
- 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.
- 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.
call shotgun
1Claim 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.
- 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
1Shotgun 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.
- He inherited an old double-barreled shotgun from his grandfather.
- The hunter carried a double-barreled shotgun over his shoulder.
pump-action shotgun
1Shotgun reloaded by sliding the fore-end
A shotgun that you reload by moving part of it (the front grip) back and forward by hand.
- The officer carried a pump-action shotgun in the patrol car.
- He racked the pump-action shotgun and loaded another round.
ride shotgun
1Sit in the front passenger seat
To sit in the front seat next to the driver in a car or other vehicle.
- 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
1Shotgun with a shorter barrel
A shotgun whose barrel and often back end have been cut shorter, making it smaller and easier to hide.
- The police found a sawed-off shotgun hidden under the seat.
- Owning a sawed-off shotgun is illegal in many places.
shotgun approach
1Broad, 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.
- 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
1American 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.
- The team lined up in shotgun formation on third down.
- From the shotgun formation, the quarterback has more time to throw.
shotgun house
1Narrow 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.
- New Orleans is famous for its colorful shotgun houses.
- They bought a tiny shotgun house and renovated it.
shotgun mic
1Long, directional microphone
A long microphone that mostly records sound from one direction and is often used in film and video work.
- 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
1Ammunition for a shotgun
A round of ammunition made to be fired from a shotgun, usually filled with many small pellets.
- He picked up the empty shotgun shells from the ground.
- Different shotgun shells are used for different kinds of hunting.
shotgun start
1Golf 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.
- 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
1Marriage forced by pressure or pregnancy
A wedding that happens very fast because the couple is under pressure, often because the woman is already pregnant.
- 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.