{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To spare no expense or
effort; get or give everything. •/Billy shot the works when he bought his
bicycle; he got a bell, a light, a basket, and chrome trimmings on it, too./
•/The Greens shot the works on their daughter’s wedding reception./ 2. To
go the limit; take a risk. •/The motor of Tom’s boat was dangerously hot, but
he decided to shoot the works and try to win the race./
[shoot up]
{v.} 1. To grow quickly. •/Billy had always been a small
boy, but when he was thirteen years old he began to shoot up./ 2. To arise
suddenly. •/As we watched, flames shot up from the roof of the barn./ 3.
{informal} To shoot or shoot at recklessly; shoot and hurt badly. •/The
cowboys got drunk and shot up the bar room./ •/The soldier was shot up very
badly./ 4. To take drugs by injection. •/A heroin addict will shoot up as
often as he can./
[shop]
See: CLOSE UP SHOP, TALK SHOP.
[shop around for]
{v. phr.} To make the rounds of various commercial
establishments in order to find the most economical answer for one’s needs.
•/We’ve been shopping around for a larger condominium that is affordable, and
near the university./
[shoplifter]
{n.} A thief who steals things from a store. •/The TV
camera identified the shoplifter, who was then arrested and sentenced to
jail./
[shopping center]
{n.} A place usually for neighborhood shopping, where
there is a group of stores and shops inside of a large parking lot. •/There
is a bowling alley at the nearest shopping center./ •/All the stores in our
shopping center stay open until nine o’clock on Friday evenings./
[shopworn]
{adj.} A piece of merchandise that is offered below the
usual price because it is slightly damaged or soiled. •/Although shopworn,
the jacket was perfectly usable, so he eagerly bought it./
[shore leave]
{n.} Permission given to a man in the Navy to leave his
ship and go where he wants for a certain length of time. •/Jim went to visit
New York when he was given three days' shore leave./ •/The ship did not
dock long enough for the sailors to get shore leave./
[shore patrol]
{n.} The police of a navy. •/The sailors who were
fighting in town were arrested by the shore patrol./ •/The shore patrol was
ordered to search every sailor who went on board the ship./
[shore up]
{v.} To add support to (something) where weakness is shown;
make (something) stronger where support is needed; support. •/When the flood
waters weakened the bridge, it was shored up with steel beams and sandbags
until it could be rebuilt./ •/The coach sent in a substitute guard to shore
up the line when Fitchburg began to break through./
[shorn]
See: GOD TEMPERS THE WIND TO THE SHORN LAMB.
[short]
See: CAUGHT SHORT, FALL SHORT, FOR SHORT, IN BRIEF or IN SHORT, IN
SHORT ORDER, IN SHORT SUPPLY, MAKE SHORT WORK OF, RUN SHORT, SELL SHORT, THE
LONG AND THE SHORT.
[short and sweet]
{adj.} Brief and to the point. •/Henry’s note to
his father was short and sweet. He wrote, "Dear Dad, please send me $5. Love,
Henry."/