Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The destruction of an aircraft or satellite above the earth's surface by means of missiles or gunfire.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The shooting down of an aircraft, satellite, etc.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

shoot down

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word shootdown.

Examples

  • Championship tonight); indictment of Cuban MiG pilots and Air Force chief in shootdown of Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996; and more.

    Behind the News liz donovan 2003

  • Championship tonight); indictment of Cuban MiG pilots and Air Force chief in shootdown of Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996; and more.

    Archive 2003-08-01 liz donovan 2003

  • In October 1994 another joint team interviewed two other Vietnamese citizens who recalled the shootdown and the burial of the remains of a pilot nearby.

    Adams, Lee A. 1966

  • You see, I believe the vice president conducted a de facto coup on 9/11 when he ordered the "shootdown" of civilian planes.

    Aaron Shure: The Cheney Coup 2008

  • Cheney is represented as receiving by phone a "shootdown" order from Bush, after recommending "extreme measures."

    William E. Jackson Jr.: The Path to 9/11: Where Does ABC News Stand? 2008

  • Boost-phase (read: Aegis cruisers off the coast of Korea) and mid-course (read: Ft. Greely Alaska GMD silos) shootdown requires an interceptor launch so quickly that man-in-the-loop is not feasible.

    I, for one, want to welcome our robotic overlords ... - NASA Watch 2009

  • Claims 1965 shootdown, (Marine Captain) held in Hanoi, stabbed guard and escaped!

    Heroes or Villains? 2010

  • Working to Free Scott Speicher will mark the 14th year since the shootdown with a Candlelight Vigil.

    Statistics on the Prisoner of War issue 2010

  • China's "kinetic kill" of a satellite about a year ago, and the U.S. shootdown not long after provide some possible motivation.

    EDITORIAL: Strike from space? apollosdtr 2009

  • China's "kinetic kill" of a satellite about a year ago, and the U.S. shootdown not long after provide some possible motivation.

    Apollo's Daughter :: March 10th, 2009 apollosdtr 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.