noun

gun

GUHN

noun

A weapon that fires bullets or shells using an explosive charge, ranging from handguns to rifles and artillery.

"Police recovered the gun used in the robbery."

"The soldiers were trained to clean and maintain their guns daily."

A hand-held tool that shoots or sprays a substance, such as a glue gun, staple gun, or spray gun.

"He used a staple gun to fix the fabric to the frame."

Informal: a skilled or highly capable person, especially one hired for a specific job.

"The company brought in a hired gun to turn the failing project around."

verb

To press the accelerator hard, making an engine suddenly speed up.

"He gunned the engine and pulled out into traffic."

To be gunning for something/someone: to pursue a goal aggressively, or to specifically target someone.

"She's been gunning for a promotion all year."

"Rival reporters were gunning for the minister after the leak."

How to Use Gun

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost commonly a firearm, but also any hand tool that fires or sprays something, and informally a slang term for a skilled operator or a sudden burst of speed.

Common mistake

"Jump the gun" (act too early) and "gunning for" (aggressively pursuing) are idioms — they have nothing to do with literal firearms.

Common pairings

fire a gun gun down jump the gun gun for something

Word Forms

gunned past tense, guns plural, guns plural, guns singular

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Police recovered the _____ used in the robbery.

Etymology

Traced to Middle English gunne, thought to derive from Gunnhild, a Norse female name once given as a nickname to siege engines and cannons — the name combines Old Norse words both meaning "battle".

Rhymes for gun

Begun shogun handgun shotgun

See all rhymes for gun →