shoot a star—(Nautical) take the star’s meridional altitude so as to get the position of the ship:
- It takes several minutes to find and shoot a star.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase shooting star—(also: falling-star) a meteor that darts across the sky:
- Another gale-warning often is given by shooting stars.
shoot for the stars—(also: shoot for the moon) be extremely ambitious; try to do smth. very difficult or impossible:
- “We want to shoot for the stars,” Green said before the game.