To bring down an aircraft with gunfire, or to decisively reject an idea or proposal
To make a plane fall by shooting it, or to say 'no' strongly to an idea
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To destroy or disable an aircraft by firing weapons at it
"The enemy plane was shot down over the ocean before it reached the coast."
They shot down a plane carrying the Polish president.
— Common news phrasing referencing the 2010 Smolensk air disaster
To decisively reject or dismiss an idea, proposal, or argument
"Every suggestion she made in the meeting was shot down by the director."
To shoot and kill or seriously injure a person
"The security guard was shot down in the street outside the bank."
To fire at something in the air and cause it to fall to the ground
To make a plane fall by shooting it, or to say 'no' strongly to an idea
The literal sense (aircraft) is used in military and news contexts. The figurative sense (rejecting ideas) is extremely common in business, academic, and everyday conversation. The figurative sense is separable: 'shoot the idea down' or 'shoot down the idea'.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "shoot down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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