“Shot across the bow” is a nautical term originating from the 18th century, used to identify a ship’s country. It has a literal and figurative meaning, and is now used as a warning shot in modern times.
Expressions in the English language come from various sources, such as foreign languages. Another popular source of colorful expressions is the military. Sayings like “dogfight”, “GI”, “SOP” and “snafu” all come from the military. A popular nautical term is “shot across the bow.” Like many expressions, it has a military, literal, as well as figurative definition.
In the days before high-powered radars, radios, and binoculars, a ship meeting another at a distance might not be able to distinguish which country it came from. Therefore, in the 18th century, the captain ordered a “shot across the bow”, that is, a harmless cannonball thrown across the bow of the ship. This was essentially a way to salute the ship and ask her to show her colors. If the colors were from an enemy country, the captain could then order an attack on the ship, but the initial strike had to be made first for it to be a legitimate engagement.
Firing across the bow has continued into modern times, although it is usually only used after the firing vessel has attempted unsuccessfully to communicate by radio. This can happen when a ship moves away from international waters or shows aggression. Nowadays it can be more accurately called a warning shot, since the position of the shot is not always the same.
Sometimes, a fighter aircraft escort will fire the warning shots, which may be on a ship or other aircraft in the wrong place. In almost all cases now, bow firing is preceded by attempts at radio communication and negotiation. The shot says: “We are serious. We will shoot to kill.”
The phrase also has a figurative definition. It usually refers to an action taken to show that someone is serious. For example, someone may threaten legal action, and a letter from the person’s attorney asking for a meeting or resolution is considered love at first sight. It is the act that shows the intention to act in a certain way. Even a negative commercial against an opponent could be considered such a warning shot, as it shows serious intent.
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