shot

Shot is a term with multiple meanings across domains. It can denote a single discharge from a firearm, a small serving of liquor, a single frame of video or photograph, an attempt to score in a sport, or an injection administered in medicine.

In firearms, a shot refers to the discharge itself as well as the projectile. Shotgun shells can contain shot—small pellets such as birdshot or buckshot—or a slug, a single large projectile. The distribution of pellets is described as the shot pattern.

In photography and cinema, a shot is a continuous recording or a chosen framing of a subject. Shot sizes—long, medium, close-up—describe distance and composition, while camera angles and movement shape the viewer's perspective within a scene.

In sports, a shot is an attempt to score. A basketball or soccer shot aims at the goal or basket, with success depending on accuracy, power, and defense. Shot statistics track attempts and outcomes in games.

In medicine, a shot is an injection administered with a syringe, commonly for vaccines or medications. Shots can be intramuscular or subcutaneous, and the term is used in clinical settings and patient communications.

In bars and kitchens, a shot is a small measure of liquor, typically about 1.5 US fluid ounces (44 milliliters) in the United States, used alone or in cocktails.

Idiomatic expressions include "long shot" (an unlikely outcome) and "shoot" as a verb to fire, photograph, or attempt a score in a game.