gun
1 of 2noun
ˈgən 
1
a
: a piece of ordnance usually with high muzzle velocity and comparatively flat trajectory
b
: a portable firearm (such as a rifle or handgun)
c
: a device that throws a projectile
2
a
: a discharge of a gun especially as a salute or signal
b
: a signal marking a beginning or ending
3
a
: hunter
b
: gunman
4
: something suggesting a gun in shape or function
5
: throttle
6
slang : a person's arm
specifically : an arm that has well-defined muscles —usually plural
Conor was spotted rowing away from The Loeb Boathouse in Central Park Saturday with his girlfriend, Dee Devlin, and their cute son, Conor Jr. The famous fighter showed off his guns while handling the oars for his crew. — TMZ.com The Heisman Trophy-winning and former NFL quarterback worked the stage the way he probably jabs through the weight room—whilst checking out his guns in the mirror … 
Tory Barron
Tory Barron gunned
ˈgənd
adjective gun
2 of 2verb
gunned; gunning
transitive verb
1
a
: to fire on
b
: shoot
gunned down by a hit man
2
a
: to open up the throttle of so as to increase speed
gun the engine
b
: fire sense 3b
gunned the ball to first base
intransitive verb
: to hunt with a gun
Did you know?
A ballista (a large missile-thrower in the form of a crossbow) that defended Windsor Castle in the 14th century was named in Latin Domina Gunilda, or “Lady Gunilda.” Gunilda is an Old Norse name and is a compound of gunnr and hildr, both words meaning “battle.” The English may have learned the name from early Norsemen who knew its etymological significance, or its use by the English may have been a coincidence. However, the use of this name for the Windsor ballista was not an isolated incident. Gonnylyde was the name of a cannon in a 14th century song. Our word gun, which also traces back to the 14th century, is probably a shortening of Gunilda.
Synonyms
Noun
- arm
- firearm
- heat [slang]
- piece
- small arm
Verb
- drill
- plug
- pop
- shoot
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun a gun battle between gang members and the police She claimed that the gun went off accidentally. Verb She let the car coast down the hill, then gunned it. The shortstop gunned the ball to first base.
Recent Examples on the Web Matt Sullivan, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2022 Nicki Minaj has paid tribute to the late rapper PnB Rock, and, in doing so, addresses gun crime and hip-hop artists’ real and ongoing fear of being targeted. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 13 Sep. 2022 On Wednesday, the coffin will be taken atop a gun carriage to Westminster Hall, where the queen will lie in state for four days to give Britons and tourists alike a chance to say farewell to the nation’s longest-serving monarch. Stu Woo, WSJ, 13 Sep. 2022 The royal couple got out of their car at Holyroodhouse and greeted people, and looked at floral tributes before a gun salute boomed from Edinburgh Castle. Staff And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2022 The National Rifle Association condemned the new code for credit and debit card transactions at gun stores. Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2022 The judge also ruled that jurors cannot hear about a $73 million settlement struck in February between major gun manufacturer Remington and some plaintiffs from this trial, a point Jones’ attorney wanted to bring up at trial. Lauren Del Valle, CNN, 12 Sep. 2022 Whitfield said the shooting is a part of a complex gun issue, a problem that has troubled many communities across the country. Olivia Mitchell, cleveland, 12 Sep. 2022 Supporters of the new code say the effort will help flag suspicious firearms sales and reduce gun crime. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 12 Sep. 2022 Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2022 Ruth had manipulated Javi into showing up for a meeting at Shaw’s office, only to gun him down in retaliation for Javi killing Ruth’s cousin Wyatt. Andy Meek, BGR, 30 June 2022 According to a Washington Post analysis, there have been only two instances two decades where a school resource officer was able to gun down an active shooter. Kimberly Nordyke, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 June 2022 Early reports indicate at least one such weapon possibly was used to gun down students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2022 Just days after a shooter walked into a grocery store to gun down African American patrons. Libby Cathey, ABC News, 25 May 2022 Moore chose to gun the unarmed man down, then run away, the prosecutor said. John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 4 May 2022 Kurt has Harrison running through the snow and is just about to gun him down when Dexter/Jim revs toward him, sending him running off instead. Kelly Mcclure, Vulture, 28 Dec. 2021 But days later, authorities say the teen used the weapon to gun down his classmates at Oxford High School. Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2021 See More
Noun
A week before Covid shut down the NBA, a gun-prevention roundtable turned emotional after a young man said that being in a room with Curry validated his choice to escape cycles of violence in East Oakland. Matt Sullivan, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2022 Nicki Minaj has paid tribute to the late rapper PnB Rock, and, in doing so, addresses gun crime and hip-hop artists’ real and ongoing fear of being targeted. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 13 Sep. 2022 On Wednesday, the coffin will be taken atop a gun carriage to Westminster Hall, where the queen will lie in state for four days to give Britons and tourists alike a chance to say farewell to the nation’s longest-serving monarch. Stu Woo, WSJ, 13 Sep. 2022 The royal couple got out of their car at Holyroodhouse and greeted people, and looked at floral tributes before a gun salute boomed from Edinburgh Castle. Staff And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2022 The National Rifle Association condemned the new code for credit and debit card transactions at gun stores. Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2022 The judge also ruled that jurors cannot hear about a $73 million settlement struck in February between major gun manufacturer Remington and some plaintiffs from this trial, a point Jones’ attorney wanted to bring up at trial. Lauren Del Valle, CNN, 12 Sep. 2022 Whitfield said the shooting is a part of a complex gun issue, a problem that has troubled many communities across the country. Olivia Mitchell, cleveland, 12 Sep. 2022 Supporters of the new code say the effort will help flag suspicious firearms sales and reduce gun crime. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 12 Sep. 2022 Verb
Plays like Jurickson Profar rushing in to trim time and distance off freddie Freeman’s liner to left and gun down Betts at the plate in the fourth helped, as much as rookie Jose Azocar being cut down at home in the third hurt. Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2022 Ruth had manipulated Javi into showing up for a meeting at Shaw’s office, only to gun him down in retaliation for Javi killing Ruth’s cousin Wyatt. Andy Meek, BGR, 30 June 2022 According to a Washington Post analysis, there have been only two instances two decades where a school resource officer was able to gun down an active shooter. Kimberly Nordyke, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 June 2022 Early reports indicate at least one such weapon possibly was used to gun down students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2022 Just days after a shooter walked into a grocery store to gun down African American patrons. Libby Cathey, ABC News, 25 May 2022 Moore chose to gun the unarmed man down, then run away, the prosecutor said. John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 4 May 2022 Kurt has Harrison running through the snow and is just about to gun him down when Dexter/Jim revs toward him, sending him running off instead. Kelly Mcclure, Vulture, 28 Dec. 2021 But days later, authorities say the teen used the weapon to gun down his classmates at Oxford High School. Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English gonne, gunne
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1622, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Phrases Containing gun
Kids Definition
gun 1 of 2
noun
ˈgən
1
: a weapon that fires bullets or shells
2
: cannon
3
: something like a gun in shape or function
a glue gun
4
: a discharge of a gun
The runners waited for the gun.
gun
2 of 2verb
gunned; gunning
: to open the throttle of quickly so as to increase speed
gun the engine
gun 1 of 2
noun
1
as in firearm
a portable weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder while her father preferred hunting with a crossbow, she preferred a gun Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- firearm
- rifle
- pistol
- handgun
- arm
- shotgun
- revolver
- musket
- small arm
- piece
- derringer
- heat
- semiautomatic
- zip gun
- .45
- sidearm
- carbine
- flintlock
- firelock
- harquebus
- blunderbuss
- roscoe
- matchlock
- gat
- culverin
- rod
- machine gun
- smoothbore
- six-shooter
- automatic
- fieldpiece
- .22
- submachine gun
- breechloader
- six-gun
- assault rifle
- machine pistol
- assault weapon
- self-loader
- speargun
- tommy gun
- arquebus
- repeater
- AK-47
- forty-five
- twenty-two
2
as in weapons
guns plural large firearms (as cannon or rockets) the field commander called for the big guns to be deployed for the full-scale assault Synonyms & Similar Words
- weapons
- artillery
- ammunition
- ordnance
- weaponry
- arms
- armament
- munitions
gun
2 of 2verb
as in to shoot
to strike with a missile from a gun traded stories of the Wild West, when outlaws gunned men down in broad daylight and in cold blood Synonyms & Similar Words
- shoot
- drill
- pop
- plug
- kill
- pistol
- drop
- slaughter
- shotgun
- destroy
- slay
- pepper
- blow away
- bring down
- butcher
- pick off
- shoot down
- blaze
- massacre
- potshot
- dispatch
- fell
- snipe (at)
- tommy-gun
- fire (at)
- machine-gun
- wipe out
- ice
- blot out
- blast (at)
- decimate
- annihilate
- do in
- croak