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gun
gun / gən/ • n. a weapon incorporating a metal tube from which bullets, shells, or other missiles are propelled by explosive force, typically making a characteristic loud, sharp noise. ∎ a device for discharging something (e.g., insecticide, grease, or electrons) in a required direction. ∎ a gunman: a hired gun. ∎ (guns) dated Nautical slang used as a nickname for a ship's gunnery officer. ∎ a starting pistol used in track and field events. ∎ the firing of a piece of artillery as a salute or signal: the boom of the one o'clock gun echoed across the river. • v. (gunned , gun·ning ) [tr.] 1. (gun someone down) shoot someone with a gun: they were gunned down by masked snipers. 2. inf. cause (an engine) to race: as Neil gunned the engine, the boat jumped forward. ∎ [tr.] accelerate (a vehicle): he gunned the car away from the curb. PHRASES: big gun inf. an important or powerful person. go great guns inf. proceed forcefully, vigorously, or successfully: the film industry has been going great guns recently. jump the gun inf. act before the proper time. stick to one's guns inf. refuse to compromise or change, despite criticism: we have stuck to our guns on that issue. top gun a (or the) most important person: the top guns in contention for the coveted post of chairman. under the gun inf. under great pressure: manufacturers are under the gun to offer alternatives.PHRASAL VERBS: gun for pursue or act against (someone) with hostility: the Republican candidate was gunning for his rival over campaign finances. ∎ seek out or strive for (something) determinedly: he had been gunning for a place in the squad. DERIVATIVES: gun·less adj. gunned adj. [in comb.] a heavy-gunned ship. |
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Cite this article
"gun." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gun." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-gun.html "gun." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-gun.html |
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gun
gun, see basilisk; bow-chaser; cannon; carronade; chase (1); chase guns; culverin; dolphin (2); murderer; robinet; serpentine. See also apron (2); axle-trees (1); breeching; bridle-port; broadside; budge-barrel; calibre; case-shot; chain shot; ‘crossing the T’; director sight; drift (3); fid (3); former; gunport; gun tackle; half-musket shot; langrel; powder monkey; prime, to; priming iron; quarter-gunner; quoin; random range; shot; train; train-tackle; transom (3); warfare at sea.
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Cite this article
"gun." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gun." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-gun.html "gun." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-gun.html |
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gun
gun n.
1. a weapon incorporating a metal tube from which bullets, shells, or other missiles are propelled by explosive force, typically making a characteristic loud, sharp noise. 2. a gunman: a hired gun. 3. (guns) slang, dated used as a nickname for a ship's gunnery officer. 4. the firing of a piece of artillery as a salute or signal: the boom of the one o'clock gun echoed across the river. v. gunned, gunning (gun someone down) shoot someone with a gun: they were gunned down by masked snipers. |
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Cite this article
"gun." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gun." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-gun.html "gun." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-gun.html |
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gun
gun guns or butter in government policy, the choice between social and economic development and military expansion; often with reference to the comment by the German Nazi leader Joseph Goebbels (1897–1945) in 1936, ‘If we are attacked we can only defend ourselves with guns not with butter.’
stick to one's guns refuse to compromise or change, despite criticism. With allusion to maintaining one's position under enemy fire. See also smoking gun, son of a gun. |
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Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "gun." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "gun." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-gun.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "gun." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-gun.html |
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gun
gun heavy piece of ordnance, cannon XIV; †large engine of war; portable fire-arm XV. ME. gunne, gonne; perh. repr. pet-form (*Gunna) of the Scand. female name Gunnhildr (f. gunnr + hildr, both meaning ‘war’).
Hence gunner XIV. Whence gunnery XVII, gunpowder, gunshot XV, gunsmith XVI, gunstock XV. So gun vb. XVII. |
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T. F. HOAD. "gun." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "gun." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-gun.html T. F. HOAD. "gun." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-gun.html |
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gun
gun Tubular weapon firing a projectile, usually by force of explosion. The term is now restricted to artillery pieces with a relatively high muzzle velocity and a flat trajectory. Pistols, rifles and machine guns are usually described as guns; mortars and howitzers are not.
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Cite this article
"gun." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gun." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-gun.html "gun." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-gun.html |
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gun
gun in general, any weapon that discharges shot, shells, or bullets by the explosion of gunpowder or some other explosive from a straight tube. See firearm ; artillery ; small arms . |
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"gun." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gun." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-gun.html "gun." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-gun.html |
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gun
gun
•begun, bun, done, Donne, dun, fine-spun, forerun, fun, gun, Gunn, hon, Hun, none, nun, one, one-to-one, outdone, outgun, outrun, pun, run, shun, son, spun, stun, sun, ton, tonne, tun, underdone, Verdun, won
•honeybun • handgun • flashgun
•air gun • sixgun • popgun • shotgun
•blowgun, shogun
•speargun • scattergun • homespun
•endrun • sheep run • grandson
•stepson • godson • kiloton • megaton
•anyone • everyone • someone
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Cite this article
"gun." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gun." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-gun.html "gun." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-gun.html |
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