bird-shot
Definition
Noun (uncountable) - Small pellets used in shotgun shells for hunting birds: "bird-shot" refers to the tiny lead or steel pellets loaded into shotgun cartridges, designed to scatter upon firing and effectively target small, fast-moving game such as birds, without causing excessive damage to the meat.
Usage Examples
- (Small pellets for bird hunting.)
- (A specific size of bird-shot.)
- (Contrasting small pellets with larger ones.)
Advanced Usage
"bird-shot size": the specific diameter of the pellets, typically numbered (e.g., #6, #7½, #8), with smaller numbers indicating larger pellets.
- For dove hunting, many prefer #7½ bird-shot for its balance of range and pattern density. (A specific pellet size.)
"to load with bird-shot": to prepare a shotgun cartridge using these small pellets.
- The marksman loaded his shells with bird-shot for a day of clay pigeon shooting. (Preparing ammunition.)
Variants and Related Words
- Buckshot (n): larger lead pellets used in shotgun shells for hunting larger game, such as deer.
- Buckshot is more powerful than bird-shot but less suitable for small birds. (Contrasting pellet sizes.)
- Shotgun (n): a firearm that fires a shell containing multiple pellets, including bird-shot.
- He cleaned his shotgun after using bird-shot all morning. (The weapon that fires bird-shot.)
- Pellets (n): the individual spherical pieces that make up bird-shot.
- The bird-shot consisted of hundreds of tiny steel pellets. (Components of bird-shot.)
Synonyms
- Small shot: a general term for tiny pellets used in shotguns.
- Game shot: pellets specifically designed for hunting game birds.
- Fowling shot: an older term for bird-shot used in waterfowl hunting.
Related Idioms
- "To shoot with bird-shot": (literal) to use bird-shot in a firearm; (figurative, rare) to approach a problem with a broad, non-specific strategy.
- He tried to solve the complex issue by shooting with bird-shot, addressing many small points at once. (A figurative use, meaning to tackle many details broadly.)