shot across the bow
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shot across the bow
- /ˈʃɒt əˌkɹɒs ðə ˈbaʊ/ UK
- /ˈʃɑt əˌkɹɔs ðə ˈbaʊ/ US
Rhymes with -aʊ
Where it comes from
From the naval tactic of firing a warning shot across the bow or front portion of a ship in order to force it to stop or alter its course.
noun shots across the bow · shot across the bows
-
A warning that negative consequences will be faced if something is carried out or allowed to continue.
President [Franklin] Pierce, like a great war ship, fired two shots across the bows of the Congress, to bring matters to.
Similar: warning shot
Translations
Every language
noun warning that negative consequences will be faced
| Deutsch | Schuss vor den Bug |
|---|---|
| Русский | предупреди́тельный вы́стрел predupredítelʹnyj výstrel |
Talk about this word "shot across the bow." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/shot%20across%20the%20bow. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. shot across the bow. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/shot%20across%20the%20bow "shot across the bow." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/shot%20across%20the%20bow.Cite this
@misc{shot_across_the_bow_2026,
title = {shot across the bow},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/shot%20across%20the%20bow},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
