Skip to main content
gun

gun

1.0
A weapon that fires bullets or shells at high speed
  • noun
  • /ɡʌn/
translation icon : arma de fuego
  • Toss me the gun!
  • machine gun
  • guns and ammunition
  • carry a gun

He's got this kind of gun in his hand.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The soldier raised his gun and aimed at the target in the distance.

  • No fingerprints were found on the gun; they hadn't been able to trace it.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Analysis has shown that at least one of the guns was fired, probably during the battle.

    Academic text (2011)
  • One of his brothers would be after you with a gun.

  • His wife said he was cleaning a gun and his stomach got in the way.

  • All the participants in the study reported carrying a gun regularly for protection.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Lydia turns and points her gun at his head.

  • The person is already carrying the gun or possessing the gun.

  • There is little or no relationship between the rigorousness of gun-control laws and criminals' access to guns.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Many people in the city are concerned about the increase in gun violence.

Synonyms

pistol
vsgun
268 2.1

A small gun you hold and fire with one hand

is the broader category that includes such small handheld firearms
firearm
vsgun
258 4.5

A gun a person can hold and fire by hand

is the common everyday name for weapons that shoot bullets or shells
handgun
vsgun
187 4.6

A small gun that you hold and fire with one hand

is the general term covering this small handheld type and others
cannon
vsgun
103 3.9

A large heavy gun often on wheels or ships that fires heavy shells

is the general word that also includes both small and large artillery
machine gun
vsgun
  • NSFW
101 3.5

A large gun that fires many bullets very quickly, often used by soldiers

is the wider group that includes both rapid and single shot types
mortar
vsgun
76 7.5

A short gun that fires explosive shells at a high angle

is the broader term that includes specialized high angle launchers
revolver
vsgun
71 3.6

A small gun with a cylinder that holds several bullets so you can fire many times without reloading

is the general category that includes this repeating cartridge design
assault rifle
vsgun
  • Specialized
36 4.8

A military gun that fires many bullets fast and holds them in a removable box

is the general term that covers military rifles and other types
howitzer
vsgun
  • Specialized
10 9.9

A large gun with a short barrel that fires shells high to hit nearby targets

is the broad category that covers various artillery and handheld types
5 3.2

A gun that shoots small paint-filled balls used in a game where players mark each other

is the broader weapons term that usually means lethal ammunition firing devices
Gatling
vsgun
3 8.7

An early rapid-fire gun used in the 1800s

is the general name covering both modern and older projectile weapons
air rifle
vsgun
3 3.7

A gun that uses compressed air to fire small pellets

is the general term covering both powder and air propelled long arms
machine pistol
vsgun
  • NSFW
3 7.8

A small automatic handgun that fires many bullets very quickly

is the general category that covers both automatic and single fire types
railgun
vsgun
  • Specialized
2 8.9

A device that uses electricity and magnets to shoot pieces of metal very fast

is the common term for projectile weapons while this uses different propulsion
minigun
vsgun
1 7.9

A machine gun that fires bullets very fast and people use on vehicles or planes

is the broader class of weapons that includes mounted rapid weapons
air gun
vsgun
1 3.1

A device that shoots small pellets using compressed air instead of gunpowder

is the broader category that more often implies explosive propellant use
scattergun
vsgun
1 7.1

A short-range gun that fires many small pellets

is the wider class covering both single projectiles and shot weapons
supergun
vsgun
1 8.7

A very large powerful gun that fires at long distances

is the umbrella term that covers very large and ordinary weapons alike
airgun
vsgun
1 4.1

A gun that uses air or gas to fire small pellets

is the usual name for powder driven weapons rather than air powered ones
assault gun
vsgun
  • Specialized
8.1

A rifle used by soldiers that can fire many shots quickly and has a large magazine

is the broader category including military and civilian handheld weapons
naval gun
vsgun
  • Specialized
6.8

A large gun on a navy ship used to fire at enemy ships or planes

is the general category that spans from handheld to ship mounted weapons

Idioms

son of a gun
  • Informal
24 8.3

A person people like and admire for being tough or clever

To force someone to do something by threatening them

under the gun
  • Informal
6 7.4

Feeling strong pressure to finish something because of a deadline

1 7.3

To move quickly and attack often in sports or games

To start a project or activity

9.9

To say as a joke that you will kill yourself because you feel very frustrated

to eat his gun
  • Offensive
9.9

To say you want to kill yourself to show you feel very desperate, often offensive

Compounds

119 3.3

Laws and rules that control buying, owning, and using guns

101 3.5

A large gun that fires many bullets very quickly, often used by soldiers

smoking gun
  • Literature
39 5.3

Clear proof that someone did something wrong

24 5.0

A small device that gives a short electric shock to stop a person moving for a short time

19 4.0

An event where people buy, sell, and look at guns

16 3.6

A small gun that shoots metal balls using air or gas

12 2.1

A store that sells guns and ammunition

big gun
  • Informal
9 5.1

An important person with power in a company or field

9 1.0

A toy that sprays water for children to play with

A small automatic weapon that uses pistol bullets

7 2.1

A toy that shoots a small stream of water

7 3.6

A hand tool that pushes metal clips into wood or fabric to hold them

5 3.9

A long metal tube in a gun that a bullet travels through when fired

A gun that shoots small paint-filled balls used in a game where players mark each other

4 8.9

A gun with several barrels that turn and fire quickly

hired gun
  • Offensive
4 8.9

A person paid to kill someone

hired gun
  • Slang
4 7.1

A person hired to do a difficult or unpleasant job other people avoid

six-gun
  • US
4 7.2

A small gun that holds six bullets in a rotating part

3 2.7

A container that holds and protects a gun for carrying or storing

3 3.7

Connected with guns, for example crimes or accidents that involve them

gun turret
  • Specialized
3 6.3

A part of a ship, plane, or vehicle that holds guns and turns to aim them

2 9.1

A person who is paid to kill someone with a gun

Tommy gun
  • Archaic
2 8.2

A short, powerful automatic gun used by soldiers and criminals in the early 1900s

zip gun
  • NSFW
2 9.9

A simple homemade pistol made from spare parts

gun carriage
  • Specialized
2 7.2

A strong frame with wheels that holds a cannon for firing

gun emplacement
  • Specialized
2 8.3

A protected place built where a gun is placed and fired, often for defense

2 3.7

A gun fired to mark the start of a race

1 3.1

A device that shoots small pellets using compressed air instead of gunpowder

1 4.4

A hand tool that puts grease into machine parts

1 3.6

A tool like a gun that sends out paint or other liquid in tiny drops

antiaircraft gun
  • Specialized
1 5.3

A large gun on the ground that shoots at planes

gas gun
  • Specialized
1 6.5

A device that fires small gas containers like tear gas to make crowds move away

electron gun
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A device that makes and focuses a thin beam of electrons in a television or microscope

light machine gun
  • Specialized
1 4.9

An automatic gun that one soldier can carry and use

1 3.8

A dog trained to help hunters by finding and bringing back birds

gun moll
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A woman who is the companion or girlfriend of a gangster

1 2.7

Smoke that comes out when a gun is fired

gun-sight
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A small device on a gun that helps you aim

1 7.6

A gun someone hides in clothes or bags

riot gun
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A gun used to break up crowds that fires rubber bullets or tear gas

automatic gun
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A weapon that reloads and keeps firing while you hold the trigger

field gun
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A large movable weapon soldiers use on the battlefield to fire at enemy troops

Maxim gun
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A late 1800s machine that fires bullets automatically for soldiers

gun deck
  • Archaic
1 9.2

A lower deck on a warship with cannons along its length

1 7.0

The open front end of a gun barrel where a bullet comes out

gun room
  • Archaic
1 9.4

A room on a warship where junior officers sleep, study and sometimes keep guns

1 6.9

A device that shoots a long pointed spear to catch large sea animals like whales or fish

A .45-caliber automatic gun used by soldiers, police, and gangsters in the 20th century

Sten gun
  • Archaic
1 6.3

A small, light gun used by British soldiers in World War II

Bofors gun
  • Specialized
8.7

A large automatic gun with two barrels used to shoot at enemy planes

Bren gun
  • Archaic
8.8

A light machine gun used by British soldiers in World War II

burp gun
  • Archaic
9.3

A small automatic gun like a pistol that fires bullets very quickly

6.4

A belt-fed machine gun used by US forces in World War II and the Korean War

5.7

A toy pistol or rifle that shoots corks

ack-ack gun
  • Archaic
9.9

A large gun on the ground that shoots at enemy planes

4.6

Against owning or using guns

5.9

A person who wants laws to reduce gun ownership

assault gun
  • Archaic
8.1

An armored vehicle with a large gun on a tank body that supports soldiers and fights tanks

assault gun
  • Specialized
8.1

A rifle used by soldiers that can fire many shots quickly and has a large magazine

A gun fired once every minute to honor people at a funeral

8.3

A very small gun that people use to kill pests or to carry secretly

gun chamber
  • Specialized
5.5

The space in a gun where a bullet sits before you fire it

gun mike
  • Informal
8.2

A long, narrow microphone that picks up sound from far away in one direction

gun pendulum
  • Archaic
9.9

A suspended gun that measures bullet speed from its backward swing when fired

gun rest
  • Jargon
9.9

The top board on the side of a wooden boat that makes the side stronger

A small part on a gun that you pull to make it shoot

gun enclosure
  • Specialized
8.8

A protected platform that holds guns and can turn to aim at targets

gun grabber
  • Offensive
8.6

A person who wants stricter gun laws and who others often insult

Starting something too soon without proper permission

gun jumping
  • Jargon
9.9

Illegal actions by companies in a merger before regulators approve, such as sharing secret business information

gun lap
  • Jargon
8.3

The final lap of a race that starts with a gunshot

gun microphone
  • Specialized
7.5

A long, thin microphone that you point at a sound to record it from far away

gun worm
  • Archaic
9.9

A tool like a corkscrew for pulling unfired bullets from a musket barrel

How Powerful

cannon
103 3.9
machine gun
  • NSFW
101 3.5
rifle
525 3.2
gun
1.0
pistol
268 2.1

Surface Forms

gun singular
guns plural

Etymology

Gun probably started as the name of a particular weapon long ago, and one story says it came from a Norse woman's name like Gunnhild, which comes from a word meaning 'war'. So gun became the short name for a fighting tool that 'shoots' bullets.