shootdown

or shoot-down

[ shoot-doun ]
/ ˈʃutˌdaʊn /

noun

the attack and destruction of an aircraft in flight.
the shooting and killing of someone in cold blood.

Definition for shoot down (2 of 2)

Origin of shoot

1
before 900; Middle English shoten (v.), Old English scēotan; cognate with Dutch schieten, German schiessen, Old Norse skjōta; akin to shot1

British Dictionary definitions for shoot down (1 of 2)

shoot down

verb (tr, adverb)

to shoot callously
to cause to fall to earth by hitting with a missile
to defeat or disprove he shot down her argument

British Dictionary definitions for shoot down (2 of 2)

shoot
/ (ʃuːt) /

verb shoots, shooting or shot

noun

interjection

US and Canadian an exclamation expressing disbelief, scepticism, disgust, disappointment, etc

Word Origin for shoot

Old English sceōtan; related to Old Norse skjōta, Old High German skiozan to shoot, Old Slavonic iskydati to throw out

Scientific definitions for shoot down

shoot
[ shōōt ]

The part of a vascular plant that is above ground, including the stem and leaves. The tips of shoots contain the apical meristem.

Idioms and Phrases with shoot down (1 of 2)

shoot down

1

Ruin the aspirations of, disappoint, as in Bill was hoping Sharon would go out with him, but she shot him down.

2

Reject, defeat; also, expose as false. For example, It was the best idea I could come up with, but they unanimously shot it down, or It was inevitable that they would shoot down any claim made by the opposing candidate. This colloquial expression, which alludes to bringing down an aircraft or game bird by shooting, is sometimes intensified as shoot down in flames, originally (in World War I) referring to bringing down enemy aircraft but the late 1950s extended to decisively defeating anyone or anything.

Idioms and Phrases with shoot down (2 of 2)

shoot