shotgun
shotgun Lexical Profile
shotgun Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A smoothbore shoulder weapon designed to fire cartridges containing numerous small pellets (shot) or a single solid slug.
"The hunter cleaned his shotgun meticulously before the start of duck season."
North American The front passenger seat in a vehicle.
"As soon as we walked out the door, my brother yelled out to claim shotgun."
• adjective
Covering a wide area in an indiscriminate, broad, or uncoordinated manner.
"The marketing team took a shotgun approach, launching ads across every platform simultaneously."
Involving coercion, extreme pressure, or the threat of force.
"The merger was essentially a shotgun wedding engineered by the failing company's creditors."
• verb
North American To consume a canned beverage (typically beer) rapidly by puncturing a hole in the side of the can, placing one's mouth over the hole, and opening the top tab.
"The college students stood in a circle to shotgun their drinks before the game started."
To coerce, pressure, or force someone into making a decision or taking an action.
"He felt he had been shotgunned into signing the contract before having time to review it properly."
Word Nuance & Usage
When used in reference to vehicles, 'calling shotgun' is a widespread colloquial idiom for claiming the front passenger seat.
• Rhymes for shotgun
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 19th century in the United States, combining 'shot' (referring to the small lead pellets it fires) and 'gun'. The term 'riding shotgun' originated in the American West, referring to an armed guard sitting next to a stagecoach driver.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.