assault gun
- noun
- /əˈsɔlt ɡʌn/
- Specialized
:
fusil de asalto
- The soldier was equipped with an assault gun and extra ammunition for the mission.
Examples
-
Strict regulations govern the civilian ownership of an assault gun in many countries.
-
The soldiers were equipped with assault guns during the operation.
-
During the demonstration, the museum displayed a restored World War II assault gun.
-
The assault gun is powerful.
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The soldier was equipped with an assault gun and extra ammunition for the mission.
-
Strict regulations govern the civilian ownership of an assault gun in many countries.
-
During the demonstration, the museum displayed a restored World War II assault gun.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A weapon that fires bullets or shells at high speed
258
4.5
A gun a person can hold and fire by hand
36
4.8
A military gun that fires many bullets fast and holds them in a removable box
7
4.7
A rifle that shoots bullets without stopping as long as the trigger is held
1
5.1
A gun that keeps loading and shooting as long as you hold the trigger
1
3.9
A weapon that reloads and keeps firing while you hold the trigger
1
7.2
A gun that reloads itself after each shot but fires once per trigger pull
1
7.4
A portable .30 caliber automatic rifle used by United States soldiers in World War I, World War II, and Korea
1
7.5
A U.S. military semiautomatic rifle used in World War II and the Korean War
A gun that fires many bullets automatically with one pull of the trigger
How Automatic
- Specialized
1
4.9
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
7.2
- Specialized
21
9.1
- Specialized
66
4.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is transparently built from 'assault' (an attack or combat action) + 'gun' (a firearm), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a firearm used for assaults or military-style combat. While technical distinctions (automatic/semi-automatic, magazine size) are specialized, the basic sense is directly derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
Assault gun comes from joining assault, meaning 'attack', and gun, meaning 'weapon', to name a fast weapon made for the front line. That's why it refers to a military-style rifle that fires automatically and often has a large magazine.