shoot the moon
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To abscond without paying one's rent.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
So that is how the old rascal shot the moon. He is off on blue water by this time with his whole outfit, and will come back with a fortune. The landlord won't grumble, because Schoolbred must pay his rent, […]
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
to remove furniture from a house in the night without paying the landlord.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “shoot the moon” mean?
To abscond without paying one's rent.
Is “shoot the moon” formal or informal?
shoot the moon is generally slang.