Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

   {Shooting iron}, a firearm. [Slang, U.S.]

   {Shooting star}.
   (a) (Astron.) A starlike, luminous meteor, that, appearing
       suddenly, darts quickly across some portion of the sky,
       and then as suddenly disappears, leaving sometimes, for a
       few seconds, a luminous train, -- called also {falling
       star}.

   Note: Shooting stars are small cosmical bodies which
         encounter the earth in its annual revolution, and which
         become visible by coming with planetary velocity into
         the upper regions of the atmosphere. At certain
         periods, as on the 13th of November and 10th of August,
         they appear for a few hours in great numbers,
         apparently diverging from some point in the heavens,
         such displays being known as meteoric showers, or star
         showers. These bodies, before encountering the earth,
         were moving in orbits closely allied to the orbits of
         comets. See {Leonids}, {Perseids}.
   (b) (Bot.) The American cowslip ({Dodecatheon Meadia}). See
       under {Cowslip}.

   {Shooting stick} (Print.), a tapering piece of wood or iron,
      used by printers to drive up the quoins in the chase.
      --Hansard.

Cowslip \Cow"slip`\ (-sl[i^]p`), n. [AS. c[=u]slyppe,
   c[=u]sloppe, prob. orig., cow's droppings. Cf. {Slop}, n.]
   (Bot.)
   1. A common flower in England ({Primula veris}) having yellow
      blossoms and appearing in early spring. It is often
      cultivated in the United States.

   2. In the United States, the marsh marigold ({Caltha
      palustris}), appearing in wet places in early spring and
      often used as a pot herb. It is nearer to a buttercup than
      to a true cowslip. See Illust. of {Marsh marigold}.

   {American cowslip} (Bot.), a pretty flower of the West
      ({Dodecatheon Meadia}), belonging to the same order
      ({Primulace[ae]}) with the English cowslip.

   {French cowslip} (Bot.), bear's-ear ({Primula Auricula}).