Definition

1. Verb (intransitive):
   • To increase or rise very quickly and dramatically: Refers to a sudden, sharp, and often steep upward movement or growth, typically in quantity, level, or value.

Usage

• This verb is used to describe a rapid and significant increase. It is often applied to abstract concepts like prices, numbers, or levels, but can also describe physical growth.
• It functions as an intransitive verb (does not take a direct object). The thing that increases is the subject of the sentence.
• The past tense and past participle form is shot up.

Examples

• Verb:
  • Stock prices shot up after the positive earnings report.
  • The temperature shot up to 40 degrees Celsius by noon.
  • The use of the app shot up when it became free to download.

Advanced Usage

• "to shoot up" (literal, physical growth): To grow taller very quickly.
  • Your son has really shot up since I last saw him!
• "to shoot up" (slang): To inject an illegal drug intravenously. (This is a distinct, informal meaning.)
  • The police found paraphernalia used for shooting up.

Variants and Related Words

• Shoot-up (noun, informal): An instance of injecting an illegal drug.
  • The alley was known as a place for a quick shoot-up.
• Skyrocket (verb): A close synonym meaning to rise very quickly.
  • Demand for the product skyrocketed.

Synonyms

• Surge: To increase suddenly and powerfully.
• Soar: To fly or rise high in the air; to increase rapidly above the usual level.
• Spike: To show a sharp increase for a short time.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Shoot down: To bring down by shooting; to reject or criticize harshly.
  • The committee shot down his proposal.
• Shoot for: To aim for or try to achieve a goal.
  • We're shooting for a completion date in June.

Related Idioms

• Shoot up in the world: To rapidly improve one's social or financial status.
  • After his invention succeeded, he really shot up in the world.

Verb

1. rise dramatically
   • Prices shot up overnight