shotgun

v. to try a variety of methods; to make repeated attempts; to take an indiscriminate approach; to be scattershot. Subjects: English, Colloquial

Editorial Note: Besides the obvious “to kill or shoot with a shotgun,” a more common meaning of to shotgun is “to force or compel; to strongarm (someone),” as in a shotgun wedding. A less common meaning is “to quickly consume a canned drink, usually a beer, by making a hole in the end of the can and, with the head turned back, drinking its contents in a single attempt.” Etymological Note: As indicated by its relationship to the adjective scattershot, this verb originates by comparison to the wide spray pattern of a shotgun.

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Citations: 1913 W.A. Evans Chicago Daily Tribune (Apr. 11) “How to Keep Well” p. 6: The old policy of taking medicine for a cough, of having a favorite cough medicine, of generally shotgunning, beyond question was harmful. [1916 Lincoln Daily News (Nebraska) (June 12) “Edwards Was Re-Elected” p. 3: The shotgun method used to be used. The doctor poured a great number of different herbs into a glass on the theory that some of them would do some good.] [1949 Alton L. Blakeslee Kingsport News (Tennessee) (Oct. 31) “Shotgun Medical Test Is Next Big Health Problem” p. 2: The shotgun hunt will be a quick series of test one at a time to check for tuberculosis, diabetes, anemia, and some kinds of cancer and heart diseases, syphilis, and other diseases.] 1970 Keith S. Felton Los Angeles Times (Mar. 29) “Eavesdropping on Super Spies” p. P12: Tully shows how the spider network of many agencies and 16,000 persons has shotgunned the world with surveillance units and intercept nets. 1973 David E. Rosenbaum @ Washington, D.C. New York Times (Nov. 1) “News Media Moves By Nixon Disclosed” p. 1: The memorandum, written by Jeb Stuart Magruder, then a White House assistant, to H.R. Haldeman, who was the Presidential chief of staff, said that “shotgunning the media” was not effective.…In the memorandum, entitled “The Shotgun versus the Rifle,” Magruder…said “this continual daily attempt to get the media” was “very unfruitful and wasteful of our time.” 1985 Jane Applegate Los Angeles Times (Sept. 29) “Planning a Job Search? Chart a Direct Course Your Resume Won’t Matter if It Doesn’t Get to the Right Desk” p. 33: Recruiters and overworked personnel administrators advise against blindly sending resumes to companies. They recommend doing your homework to determine what you can offer the company. And find out exactly whom to contact to be noticed. “Shotgunning in a very, very hot economy results in a lot of wasted time.” 2005 San Diego Union-Tribune (California) (Feb. 15) “Mexican drug gangs test tighter U.S. border” (in Mexicali, Mexico): U.S. Border Customs and Border Protection in San Diego say drug gangs are increasingly breaking down loads of up to a ton of marijuana into smaller quantities and hurling them at busy border stations, a technique dubbed “shotgunning.” 2006 PR Web (Sept. 12) “Hot New Technology Helps Busy Executives Leverage Their ‘Presence’ and Boost Productivity”: Find Me/Follow Me can instigate a process known as “shotgunning.” With shotgunning, every contact number for the user is rung simultaneously with each inbound call. The call is then directed to whichever number picks up first.

Posted 13 Sep 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

You have completely ignored the definition in regards to seating. “Shotgun!” is called out when more than one person is vying for the passenger seat in a car. It refers to the seat next to the driver. During the 1900’s, stagecoach drivers always had a companion that sat next to him that carried a shotgun to ward off robbers. Hence the term “Shotgun”.

by Sara Stessel 13 Sep 06, 0218 GMT

Well, yes, I did ignore it. This definition isn’t about that term.

by Grant Barrett 13 Sep 06, 0223 GMT

shotgun as applied to a joint [marijuana cigarette][don’t try this at home kids]
the smoke is expelled from the back end of the joint to the mouth of another person.

by sookietex 14 Sep 06, 1132 GMT

I have also heard the term used in reference to a method used by faith-healing televangelists who claim to be healing someone in the television audience with vaguely described symptoms that can fit any number of people. There are bound to be several people with said symptoms who will be feeling better soon even without the ‘interdiction’ of the faith healer, who might now get the credit.

by A. Carlson 17 Sep 06, 0853 GMT

I have always wondered why people would sometimes say the word “shotgun” when trying to get in the passenger seat of a car; which by the way is used even in other countries where the language isn’t even english, at least here in Juarez, Mexico (where I live) I’ve heard the term in english referencing the seating description above several times, not knowing exactly why and only understanding what they ment, so personally (specially having finally found why it is used) I think it definitely shouldn’t have been ignored.

Just an opinion.

by Eduardo 25 Sep 06, 0405 GMT

Well, whatever. The custom of calling “shotgun” is well-documented elsewhere. This is not a dictionary for terms that are widespread and common.

by Grant Barrett 25 Sep 06, 0921 GMT