The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #132499   Message #4053539
Posted By: Doug Chadwick
19-May-20 - 05:37 AM
Thread Name: BS: Language Pet Peeves
Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
On the subject of untimely death, I am always irked when I read that someone has been shot “by a gun”.

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Or just say shot.



OK, it should be shot "with a gun" rather than shot "by a gun" and, normally, "shot" would do without further qualification; but - just to be picky - it could have been "shot with a crossbow" or "shot with an arrow". In fact, though it might be technically incorrect, I think I would accept "shot by an arrow" without flinching.

DC