English · Slang Attested

shoot the moon

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To abscond without paying one's rent.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

bỏ trốn mà không trả tiền thuê nhà

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

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

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

to remove furniture from a house in the night without paying the landlord.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

dỡ đồ đạc khỏi nhà vào ban đêm mà không trả tiền thuê nhà

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

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.

Topics: Sun & moon Historical slang (1800s)

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.

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