A “shot across the bow” is a warning signal meant to prompt someone to change course before stronger action follows. The figurative meaning is a warning; this guide does not claim a precise inventor, coinage date, or first figurative use.
ReviewedEvidence1 sourceSectionPhrases & Idioms
Quick answer
A “shot across the bow” is a warning signal meant to prompt someone to change course before stronger action follows.
Key details
Canonical Formshot across the bow
Core Meaningan action or statement intended as a warning that consequences may follow unless someone changes course or behavior
Further guidance
History Boundary
Current dictionary-supported meaning is published without claiming an exact inventor, coinage date, or absolute first use.
Meaning
an action or statement intended as a warning that consequences may follow unless someone changes course or behavior
Usage Boundary
The figurative meaning is a warning; this guide does not claim a precise inventor, coinage date, or first figurative use.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
“Worth a Shot” means an informal way to say that something is worth attempting even though success is uncertain. Use it for a plausible attempt or experiment; “shot” here is the informal sense of an attempt, not a literal projectile.
A “change of heart” means changing your opinion or feelings about something. The guide establishes the present-day idiom and does not invent an exact coinage or first-use account.
“A slap on the wrist” is an informal idiom for a mild warning or punishment. It is usually figurative and can carry the implication that the consequence was light compared with what was expected or deserved. This guide does not attach an unsupported origin chronology.
“A taste of your own medicine” refers to treating someone in the same unpleasant way that they have treated others. Cambridge records both “dose” and “taste” in the established expression. This guide limits the page to current form and meaning and does not add an unsupported origin story.
Use “acid test” for a test or standard that reveals whether something really has the claimed quality, value, or success. The guide stays with current documented meaning and does not assert unsupported origin chronology.
“Actions speak louder than words” emphasizes conduct over verbal claims: actions can reveal intentions and feelings more clearly than words alone. This guide publishes the current saying and meaning without adding an unsupported exact-origin claim.
“At stake” means that something valuable is in danger of being lost. The guide stays with current documented meaning and does not add unsupported origin chronology.
