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The meaning and origin of the expression: Shoot through

Shoot through

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What's the meaning of the phrase 'Shoot through'?

To abscond, or depart quickly.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Shoot through'?

This expression is commonplace in Australia and New Zealand and is becoming more used elsewhere due to the influence of Australian soap-operas like Neighbours and Home and Away.

The first record I can find of it in print is a definition in the Australian pin-up magazine Pix, which was published in Sydney in September 1947 by Associated Newspapers Limited:

"Shoot through, escape, abscond."

For a popular magazine to have felt the need to define the expression it couldn't have been very old at that date.

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

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