Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense guns, present participle gunning, past tense, past participle gunned
1. countable noun
A gun is a weapon from which bullets or other things are fired.
He produced a gun and he came into the house.
The inner-city has guns and crime and drugs and deprivation.
...gun control laws.
Synonyms: firearm, shooter [slang], piece [slang], rod [slang] More Synonyms of gun
2. countable noun
A gun or a starting gun is an object like a gun that is used to make a noise to signal the start of a race.
The starting gun blasted and they were off.
3. verb
To gun an engine or a vehicle means to make it start or go faster by pressing on the accelerator pedal.
[mainly US]
He gunned his engine and drove off. [VERB noun]
4. See also airgun, machine gun, shotgun, sub-machine gun
5.
See with guns blazing
6.
See to jump the gun
7.
See to stick to your guns
Phrasal verbs:
See gun down
See gun for
gun in British English
(ɡʌn)
noun
1.
a.
a weapon with a metallic tube or barrel from which a missile is discharged, usually by force of an explosion. It may be portable or mounted. In a military context the term applies specifically to a flat-trajectory artillery piece
b.
(as modifier)
a gun barrel
2.
the firing of a gun as a salute or signal, as in military ceremonial
3.
a member of or a place in a shooting party or syndicate
4.
any device used to project something under pressure
a grease gun
a spray gun
5. US slang
an armed criminal; gunman
6. Australian and New Zealand slang
a.
an expert
b.
(as modifier)
a gun shearer
a gun batsman
7. go great guns
8. jump the gun
9. spike someone's guns
10. stick to one's guns
verbWord forms: guns, gunning or gunned
11. (whentr, often foll by down)
to shoot (someone) with a gun
12. (transitive)
to press hard on the accelerator of (an engine)
to gun the engine of a car
13. (intransitive)
to hunt with a gun
Word origin
C14: probably from a female pet name shortened from the Scandinavian name Gunnhildr (from Old Norse gunnr war + hildr war)
gun in American English
(gʌn)
noun
1.
a weapon consisting of a metal tube from which a projectile is discharged by the force of an explosive
; specif.,
a.
technically, a heavy weapon with a relatively long barrel fixed in a mount, as a cannon or machine gun
b.
a rifle
c. US, Popularly
a pistol or revolver
2.
any similar device not discharged by an explosive
an air gun
3.
a discharge of a gun in signaling or saluting
4.
anything like a gun in shape or use
5. US, Slang
gunman (sense 1)
6. Slang
the throttle of an engine
verb intransitiveWord forms: gunned or ˈgunning
7.
to shoot or hunt with a gun; go shooting or hunting
verb transitive
8. US, Informal
to shoot (a person) intentionally
with down
9. Slang
to advance the throttle of (an engine) so as to increase the speed
Idioms:
big gun
give it the gun
go great guns
gun for
jump the gun
spike someone's guns
stick to one's guns
under the gun
Word origin
ME gunne, gonne, contr. < gonnilde, a 14th-c. cannon < ON Gunnhildr, fem. name (< gunnr, older form of guthr, war + hildr, battle)
gun in Mechanical Engineering
(gʌn)
Word forms: (regular plural) guns
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Manufacturing and assembly)
A gun is a device used to project something under pressure.
A typical spray gun might apply 10 ounces of paint per minute.
Sealants are commonly sold in a caulking gun.
A gun is a device used to project something under pressure.
More idioms containing
gun
under the gun
a smoking gun
jump the gun
hold a gun to someone's head
Examples of 'gun' in a sentence
gun
We need to do all we can to stop knife and gun crime.
The Sun (2016)
Planning to marry at this stage is jumping the gun.
The Sun (2016)
If only it was as simple as going on the gun.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The case has exposed a series of failures in gun control and mental health care.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
This time he had a modified gun with two barrels and was so nervous that he used both.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It features no car chases, gun fights or blood.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It has become a rabbit warren for drug dealers and gun runners.
The Sun (2010)
Police found another gun at his house.
The Sun (2007)
You are jumping the gun and setting you both up for failure.
The Sun (2011)
But those wanting gun control have two factors on their side.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We are staring down the barrel of a gun.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We are scared of gun and knife crime.
The Sun (2008)
It is directional so has to be pointed like a radar gun at the house you want to check.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
His favourite was the 800 metres, in which she went out to win the race from the gun.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Quotations
They hesitate We hesitate. They have a gun. We have no gunD.H. LawrenceMountain Lion
In other languages
gun
British English: gun /ɡʌn/ NOUN
A gun is a weapon from which bullets or pellets are fired.
He pointed the gun at officers as they chased him.
American English: gun
Arabic: بُنْدُقِيَة
Brazilian Portuguese: arma de fogo
Chinese: 枪
Croatian: pištolj
Czech: zbraň střelná
Danish: skydevåben
Dutch: geweer
European Spanish: pistola
Finnish: ase
French: fusil
German: Gewehr
Greek: όπλο
Italian: arma da fuoco
Japanese: 銃
Korean: 총
Norwegian: gevær
Polish: broń
European Portuguese: arma de fogo
Romanian: armă
Russian: огнестрельное оружие
Latin American Spanish: pistola
Swedish: pistol
Thai: ปืน
Turkish: silah
Ukrainian: пістолет
Vietnamese: súng
All related terms of 'gun'
gin
Gin is a strong colourless alcoholic drink made from grain and juniper berries.
ginned
drunk ; intoxicated ; inebriated
ginning
→ gin 2 (sense 5 ) , gin 2 (sense 6 ) , gin 3
BB gun
a type of gun which fires projectiles using air pressure
air gun
a gun operated by means of compressed air
big gun
If you refer to someone as a big gun , you mean that they have a lot of power or influence .
gun dog
A gun dog is a dog that has been trained to work with a hunter or gamekeeper , especially to find and carry back birds or animals that have been shot .
gun for
If someone is gunning for you, they are trying to find a way to harm you or cause you trouble .
gun lap
the final lap of a race, signaled by the firing of a starter's pistol as the runner in the lead begins the lap
gun-shy
If someone is gun-shy , they are nervous or afraid.
ray gun
(in science fiction ) a gun that emits rays to paralyse , stun , or destroy
six-gun
a revolver with six chambers
toy gun
a miniature nonfunctioning replica of a gun, esp one that children play with
zip gun
a crude homemade pistol , esp one powered by a spring or rubber band
Bren gun
an air-cooled gas-operated light machine gun taking .303 calibre ammunition : used by British and Commonwealth forces in World War II
burp gun
an automatic pistol or submachine gun
field gun
a gun specially designed for service in direct support of front-line troops
flame gun
a type of flame-thrower for destroying garden weeds
flash gun
a device that sets off a flashbulb simultaneously with the opening of the camera shutter
gun crew
the officers and men in charge of a ship's guns
gun crime
crime involving the use of a gun
gun down
If someone is gunned down , they are shot and severely injured or killed .
gun laws
laws relating to the possession and use of guns
gun lobby
a group of people who argue for the right of members of the public to be able to own guns
gun moll
a female criminal or a woman who associates with criminals
gun room
a room in which guns are kept
hired gun
a person hired to kill someone, as a gunfighter or professional killer
Lewis gun
a light air-cooled drum-fed gas-operated machine gun used chiefly in World War I
Maxim gun
an obsolete water-cooled machine gun having a single barrel and utilizing the recoil force of each shot to maintain automatic fire
Owen gun
a type of simple recoil-operated 9 mm sub-machine-gun first used by Australian forces in World War II
paint gun
an air gun that fires paint capsules , as used in paintballing
pump gun
a repeating gun operated by a slide-action mechanism feeding ammunition from a magazine under the barrel into the breech
riot gun
a small firearm , esp. a short-barreled repeating shotgun , used to disperse rioters
spray gun
A spray gun is a piece of equipment which you use to spray paint under pressure onto a surface .
Sten gun
a light 9 mm sub-machine-gun formerly used in the British Army and Commonwealth forces, developed during World War II
stun gun
A stun gun is a device that can immobilize a person or animal for a short time without causing them serious injury.
Tommy gun
a submachine gun
water gun
→ water pistol
young gun
You can use young guns to talk about people, especially young men , who have lots of energy and talent , and are becoming very successful .
beanbag gun
a gun that fires a fabric bag containing lead shot , designed to stun or knock the target to the ground
Bofors gun
an automatic single- or double-barrelled anti-aircraft gun with a 40 millimetre bore
Bren (gun)
a light, fast , gas-operated machine gun used by the British army in WWII
gatling gun
kind of machinegun
grease gun
a device for forcing grease through nipples into bearings, usually consisting of a cylinder with a plunger and nozzle fitted to it
gun barrel
the tube through which the bullet moves when the gun is fired
gun battle
a violent fight between groups of people in which guns are used
gun control
Gun control refers to the laws that restrict the possession and use of guns.
gun culture
the attitudes , feelings, values, and behaviour of a society, or any social group, in which guns are used
gun licence
an official document granting a person permission to own and use a gun , usually subject to various restrictions
gun-runner
A gun-runner is someone who takes or sends guns into a country secretly and illegally.
Chinese translation of 'gun'
gun
(ɡʌn)
n(c)
(small, medium-sized) 枪(槍) (qiāng) (支, zhī)
(large) 炮(砲) (pào) (架, jià)
to stick to one's guns固执(執)己见(見) (gù zhí jǐjiàn)
All related terms of 'gun'
gun for
伺机(機)攻击(擊) sìjī gōngjī
gun down
枪(槍)杀(殺) qiāngshā
machine gun
机(機)关(關)枪(槍) jīguānqiāng [ 架 jià ]
drugs/gun runner
毒品/枪(槍)支走私者 dúpǐn/qiāngzhī zǒusīzhě
to level a gun at sb
把枪(槍)对(對)准(準)某人 bǎ qiāng duìzhǔn mǒurén
to threaten sb with a knife/gun
用刀/枪(槍)威胁(脅)某人 yòng dāo/qiāng wēixié mǒurén
snowball
雪球 xuěqiú [ 个(個) gè ]
(noun)
Definition
a weapon with a metallic tube or barrel from which a missile is fired, usually by force of an explosion
He produced a gun as he came into the room.
Synonyms
firearm
He was charged with possession of illegal firearms.
shooter (slang)
piece (slang)
rod (slang)
heater (US, slang)
handgun
A man armed with a small grey handgun escaped with a sum of money.
subject word lists
See Guns
Quotation
They hesitate We hesitate. They have a gun. We have no gun [D.H. Lawrence – Mountain Lion]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of handgun
A man armed with a small grey handgun escaped with a sum of money.