The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Shoot \Shoot\, n. [F. chute. See Chute. Confused with shoot to
   let fly.]
   An inclined plane, either artificial or natural, down which
   timber, coal, etc., are caused to slide; also, a narrow
   passage, either natural or artificial, in a stream, where the
   water rushes rapidly; esp., a channel, having a swift
   current, connecting the ends of a bend in the stream, so as
   to shorten the course. [Written also chute, and shute.]
   [U. S.]
   [1913 Webster]

   To take a shoot, to pass through a shoot instead of the
      main channel; to take the most direct course. [U.S.]
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Chute \Chute\, n. [F. chute, prop. a fall.]
   1. A framework, trough, or tube, upon or through which
      objects are made to slide from a higher to a lower level,
      or through which water passes to a wheel.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. See Shoot.
      [1913 Webster] Chutney

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

chute
    n 1: rescue equipment consisting of a device that fills with air
         and retards your fall [syn: parachute, chute]
    2: sloping channel through which things can descend [syn:
       chute, slide, slideway, sloping trough]
    v 1: jump from an airplane and descend with a parachute [syn:
         chute, parachute, jump]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

146 Moby Thesaurus words for "chute":
   Ferris wheel, avenue, bank, bevel, bezel, blowhole, brolly,
   carousel, cascade, cataract, channel, chimney, chute-the-chutes,
   chutes, collapse, comedown, country rock, crash, debacle, debouch,
   declension, declination, defluxion, deposit, descending,
   descension, descent, dike, door, down, downbend, downcome,
   downcurve, downfall, downflow, downgrade, downpour, downrush,
   downtrend, downturn, downward trend, drogue chute, drop, dropping,
   easy slope, eaves trough, egress, emunctory, escape, estuary,
   exhaust, exit, fall, falling, falls, fleam, floodgate, flume,
   flying horses, force, gangue, gentle slope, glacis, grade,
   gradient, gravitation, guide, gutter, hanging gardens, harness,
   helicline, hillside, inclination, incline, inclined plane,
   launching ramp, lode, lodestuff, loophole, matrix, merry-go-round,
   mineral deposit, opening, ore bed, out, outcome, outfall, outgate,
   outgo, outlet, pack, parachute, parachute jump, pay dirt, penstock,
   pentrough, pitch, plummeting, pore, port, pounce, ramp, rapid,
   rapids, riff, riffle, ripple, roller coaster, roundabout, runway,
   sally port, sault, scarp, seesaw, shaft, shelving beach, shoot,
   shroud lines, side, sky dive, slide, slope, sluice, spiracle,
   spout, steep slope, stiff climb, stock, stoop, swing, swoop, talus,
   tap, teeter-totter, trough, umbrella, vein, vent, ventage,
   venthole, vomitory, waterfall, way out, weir, whip, whirligig