gun

I UK [ɡʌn] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "gun":
singular gun plural guns
***

1)

a) a weapon that shoots bullets, for example a pistol or a rifle. You load a gun with ammunition and pull the trigger to use it

a gang armed with machine guns

"Move!" said Cardiff, waving the gun at them.

She found herself looking down the barrel of a gun.

carry a gun:

Their police officers all carry guns.

draw a gun (= take it out, ready to use):

He spun around at the noise, drawing his gun.

aim/point a gun:

He pointed the gun directly at me.

pull a gun on someone (= take out a gun and point it at someone):

Suddenly the officer pulled a gun on them.

fire a gun:

She was learning how to fire a gun.

a gun goes off (= it shoots a bullet):

A police gun went off accidentally during a search of his home.

gun battle:

He was shot dead in a gun battle with police.

b) a large weapon that fires objects like large bullets, for example a cannon or a mortar

Enemy guns fired a shell every two or three minutes.

heavy guns:

Our troops came under prolonged bombardment by heavy guns.

2) informal someone who is carrying a gun

3) a starting gun used in sports competitions

4) a tool used for forcing something out of its container using a lot of pressure

a paint/glue/staple gun

•

hold/put a gun to someone's head — informal to blackmail someone (= force them to do something by threatening to do something bad to them)

with (all/both) guns blazing — informal with a lot of enthusiasm or energy

- go great guns

- hired gun

- under the gun

See:

jump I, stick to 5)

II UK [ɡʌn] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "gun":
present tense I/you/we/they gun he/she/it guns present participle gunning past tense gunned past participle gunned

a) mainly American to make a car engine work very quickly by pressing your foot on the accelerator

b) American to start driving a car very fast

Phrasal verbs:

- gun down

- gun for