Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

parting shot

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.36 in modern English

Syllables: part-ing shot
IPA

17

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

2

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.

Example Sentences

"Gold Coast Deputy Mayor David Power took a parting shot at the Crime and Misconduct Commission and his council enemies as he announced his bombshell resignation today."
"22 March 2012, Scott Tobias, AV Club Cabin Boyhttp://www.avclub.com/articles/cabin-boy,71269/ When news arrives that the school must graduate Nathanial to official “Fancy Lad” status early and put him on the Queen Catherine first class to run the Mayweather in Hawaii, the headmaster dutifully complies, but Nathanial gets in a few parting shots on his way out the door."

Etymology

Believed to be a variation of Parthian shot, referring to a military maneuver in which Parthian troops retreating on horseback turned back to face the enemy and shot while retreating.

Inflected Forms

parting shots (plural)

Questions

What does parting shot mean?: An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.
Where does parting shot come from?: Believed to be a variation of Parthian shot, referring to a military maneuver in which Parthian troops retreating on horseback turned back to face the enemy and shot while retreating.

How to pronounce parting shot

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