shotgun

/ˈʃɑtˌɡʌn/
verb
  1. To claim the front passenger seat of a vehicle, usually by calling it out first.
    • I shotgun the front seat!
    • He shotgunned the passenger seat before his brother could.
    • If you want to ride up front, you have to shotgun it now.
  2. To drink a beverage, especially beer, very quickly by making a hole in the can and tilting it up.
    • She learned how to shotgun a can of juice at summer camp.
    • They challenged each other to shotgun their drinks as fast as possible.
    • At the party, he tried to shotgun a soda in under five seconds.
adjective
  1. Done quickly and without careful planning, often to achieve a specific result.
    • The company took a shotgun approach to hiring, interviewing many people in one day.
    • His shotgun method of studying meant he only skimmed the textbook before the test.
    • The team used a shotgun strategy, sending out hundreds of emails to potential clients.
  2. Relating to a type of wedding that happens because the bride is pregnant.
    • They had a shotgun wedding after finding out they were expecting a baby.
    • In some small towns, a shotgun marriage was once seen as a way to save family honor.
    • The couple's shotgun ceremony was small and rushed.
noun
  1. A gun with a long barrel that fires a spray of small pellets (shot) rather than a single bullet, used for hunting birds and small game.
    • Shotguns are often used for clay pigeon shooting as a sport.
    • He cleaned his shotgun carefully after a day of hunting pheasants.
    • The hunter carried a shotgun over his shoulder as he walked through the field.
  2. The front passenger seat of a car or truck, next to the driver.
    • Who gets shotgun on the way to the game?
    • She sat in the shotgun seat and helped navigate.
    • I called shotgun before anyone else could get the front seat.
What does "shotgun" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean