1 B1 idiomatic informal
To leave a place very quickly or suddenly
"Sorry, I have to shoot off — my train leaves in ten minutes."
shoot off
B1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To leave very quickly, or to fire a weapon/firework
In plain English
To go away fast, or to fire something like a gun or rocket
What does "shoot off" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To fire a weapon, firework, or similar device
"They shot off a round of fireworks to celebrate the new year."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic informal
To send a message, letter, or email quickly
"She shot off a quick email to the client before the end of the day."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To shoot something so it flies off in a direction — fairly transparent
Actually means
To go away fast, or to fire something like a gun or rocket
Usage tip
The 'leave quickly' sense is very common in British English ('I have to shoot off'). The 'fire a weapon' sense is more literal. Also used for sending messages quickly: 'shoot off an email'.
Words that pair with "shoot off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
email message letter firework gun quickly home
How to conjugate "shoot off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
shoot off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shoots off
he/she/it
Past simple
shooted off
yesterday
Past participle
shooted off
have + pp
-ing form
shooting off
continuous
Hear "shoot off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "shoot off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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