shot-up
UK[ˈʃɒt ʌp]US[ˈʃɑːt ʌp]
phrasal verb
To rise or increase very quickly and suddenly
phrasal verb
To inject oneself with a narcotic drug, especially heroin
Morpheme Breakdown
shot
up
shot
to project
up
upward direction
Etymology
The phrasal verb "shot up" is a vivid metaphorical extension of the literal act of shooting a projectile. The core verb "shoot," with its Proto-Germanic origins in rapid propulsion, combines with the directional particle "up," an ancient adverb of elevation from Proto-Indo-European. This pairing first described literal upward trajectories, such as flames or projectiles. By the mid-20th century, its figurative use emerged to describe any sudden, sharp increase, like prices or statistics, mimicking the speed of an arrow. A separate, specific slang application developed around the same time to describe the act of injecting drugs, where the verb "shoot" (to inject) combined with "up" to imply the drug's rapid entry and resultant euphoric "high."
Analysis
Structure: shot (to project) + up (upward direction)
shot: From Old English scēotan, meaning "to shoot, project, hurl." In this phrasal verb, it retains the core sense of rapid, forceful projection.
up: From Old English up, upp, meaning "upward, aloft." It functions as an adverbial particle indicating direction or completion of an action.
Examples
The company's stock price shot up after the positive earnings report.
Rents in the city center have shot up over the last two years.
In his memoir, he wrote about the dark period when he would regularly shoot up in abandoned buildings.