shotgun

Everyday

1. A long gun that fires many small metal balls at once, used for hunting birds. tree →
2. (US, Canada, Australia, slang) «Shotgun!» is what children shout to claim the front seat of a car. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, children call «shotgun» to sit in front. In stories and news, shotguns are dangerous weapons. Safety: never touch a gun; tell an adult. Phrases: call shotgun, ride shotgun, shotgun wedding (old slang).

Examples

• Shotgun! I'm sitting in the front! tree →
• My brother always calls shotgun first. tree →
• The farmer kept a shotgun to scare foxes. tree →
• Never touch a gun if you find one; tell an adult. tree →
• He rode shotgun on the long trip. tree →
• Shotguns are used to hunt ducks. tree →
• The big man had been wakened by the noise, and had fired both barrels of a shotgun into Nag just behind the hood. tree →

Note

Countable. «Ride shotgun» comes from old wagons where a guard sat next to the driver. Safety: guns are never toys.