warning shot

warning shot

1. Literally, the firing of a weapon to signal an impending attack and/or to urge the opponent into surrender. We're almost at the shore—send up a warning shot before we land.
2. By extension, something used to signal future events and/or to urge people into a particular course of action. This petition is just a warning shot, saying that we'll be arrested if we keep playing our music so loud. I say, turn it up!
See also: shot, warning
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • sound the death knell
  • sound the death knell of something
  • literally
  • knell
  • death knell
  • toll the death knell
  • at the buzzer
  • havoc
  • cry havoc
  • beat the tar out of (one)
References in periodicals archive
The soldier has claimed he was on wasteground off Rossville Street when he fired three warning shots to ward off a hostile crowd advancing towards him from Chamberlain Street and a fourth at a possible nail-bomber.
The neighbour - who had been called by the man's girlfriend - fired a warning shot in the air and the thugs scattered.
Guillermo Eleazar reminded police officers pursuing criminals that they cannot fire warning shots nor shoot at fleeing suspects especially if there are innocent civilians who might get injured.
"I thank all of those who took part but there is a clear warning shot from young people.
After firing a warning shot, the two officers rushed forward and pinned the suspect to the ground.
The operative word here is "temporary" because if it doesn't go away within 24 hours or even an hour, that's no longer a "warning shot" but hot lead in your brain - in a manner of speaking.
So he allegedly pulled out a gun and fired a warning shot into the ground, and the youth fled.
Those in the Diwaniya refused to give the man up to the police and one of them fired a warning shot in the air to keep the police away, said the ministry statement.
While the snooping vote was only a symbolic warning shot, both the European Parliament and U.S.
"It has been proven that my client fired two shots only on that day, a warning shot and another at an anti-government protester's left leg, while the medical examiner's report said the victim was shot three times," he said.
Officials say that not only are the tribespeople vulnerable to illnesses, but a park ranger was recently injured by a warning shot from a bow and arrow.
The warning shot came after agencies downgraded Greek and Irish debt to junk status.
The soldiers honked their horns; when that didn't cause the car to turn away, one of the gunners fired a warning shot. The bullet - intended to harmlessly hit the pavement - instead hit a bystander.
When the skiff failed to stop, the helicopter fired one warning shot. A second warning shot was fired when the suspects continued to flee.
Police said they fired a warning shot before shooting the man, who