Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(orig. US) go on! go ahead! get on with it! esp. as regards telling a story, delivering a piece of gossip etc.; often ext. as shoot – you’re faded!

1908		T.A. Dorgan in Zwilling TAD Lex. (1993) 73: Say guards, I have a puzzle for you. Shoot.
1916		J. Lait ‘Second from the End’ in Beef, Iron and Wine (1917) 186: ‘All right, then—let’s go,’ said the director. He turned to the leader, who stood with bow upraised. ‘Shoot,’ said the director.
1919		Marvel 3 Mar. 8: Fire it at me, then [...] Shoot it off.
1924		P. Marks Plastic Age 103: ‘I know,’ Hugh announced, excited and pleased. ‘Shoot!’.
1931		T. Thursday ‘Dead Steal’ Detective Fiction Weekly 13 June 🌐 ‘Can you keep a secret?’ ‘Shoot—you’re faded.’.
1939		R. Chandler ‘Pearls Are a Nuisance’ in Spanish Blood (1946) 101: ‘There is another matter,’ I said. ‘Shoot.’.
1946		K. Fearing Big Clock (2002) 114: Okay. Shoot.
1951		M. Spillane One Lonely Night 78: Shoot, laddies. What’s on your mind?
1960		C. Himes Big Gold Dream 18: ‘Ratigan,’ he bellows. ‘Shoot!’.
1972		C. Bukowski Erections, Ejaculations etc. 17: ‘Shoot,’ I said, finishing my second beer.
1989		T. Blacker Fixx 129: ‘Shoot,’ said Shelley, trying unsuccessfully to focus his eyes on me.
1990		S. Morgan Homeboy 286: Dont need the squares [...] Shoot.
2000		T. Blacker Kill Your Darlings 231: ‘Shoot,’ I said with a polite lack of enthusiasm.
2013		T. Robinson Hard Bounce [ebook] Relief splashed across his face like a bucket of ice water. ‘Oh. Oh… okay. Shoot’.
2021		P. Papathanasiou Stoning 93: ‘Now, a few questions so I can make the most of my afternoon . . .’ ‘Shoot’.