Why Is a Small Drink Called a ‘Shot’?
Doing too many shots at the bar can leave your brain feeling fuzzy and your vision a little blurry. So it’s only fitting that the origins of the term “shot” are similarly hazy. One of the most common theories is that it’s derived from Old English, though others believe that
the word came about in the Old West. Here’s a look at those theories, and several others, which may shine some light on this bit of boozy terminology. The earliest known example of “shot” referring to a measure of drinking appears in the 16th-century autobiography of Rev. Oliver Heywood, which...
