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gun

gun

7.5
A person who shoots, often a skilled or professional shooter
  • noun
  • /ɡʌn/
  • NSFW
translation icon : tirador
  • - He's mighty handy with a gun.
  • a hired gun

So we're we're like the the young guns of business.

Examples

  • Put the gun down!

  • If he's the best with a knife and a gun, with whom does he compete?

  • I, on the other hand, have never fired a gun in my life.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Find out more about the guy with the gun.

  • That guy has a gun!

  • On one particular night, he was waiting with a gun and a bottle of cheap alcohol.

    Academic text (2013)
  • " People came to Horner and encouraged him to get his gun and help."

    Academic text (2013)
  • The other hand rested on the butt of a gun strapped to his waist.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • All he saw were two nonchalant little boys sitting with their guns beside them, slapping mosquitoes.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The skilled gun made accuracy seem effortless during the competition.

Synonyms

killer
vsgun
  • NSFW
1.9

A person or animal that makes another living thing die on purpose

restricts to people who use firearms and highlights skill or hire status
murderer
vsgun
  • NSFW
946 3.4

A person who illegally kills another person on purpose

may be lawful or unlawful and highlights firearm use or professional killing
shooter
vsgun
520 3.6

A person who fires a gun, sometimes paid to kill others

focuses specifically on people who use firearms rather than any weapon
sniper
vsgun
350 7.4

A person who shoots at people from a hidden place, often in the military or police

is more general, not tied to secrecy or military practice
gunman
vsgun
183 4.8

A person who uses a gun to hurt or kill others

is gender neutral and highlights skill as well as criminal use
hit man
vsgun
  • Offensive
57 7.6

A person who criminals pay to kill someone

can mean either a hired killer or any skilled shooter
gunner
vsgun
46 6.1

A person who aims and fires weapons, often in the military or in contests

focuses more on individual who uses firearms, possibly as a killer
sharpshooter
vsgun
24 5.2

A person who can hit targets very accurately with a gun or in sport

includes both top accuracy and those who are hired to kill
marksman
vsgun
18 5.9

A person who shoots very accurately with a gun

emphasizes general use or criminal role rather than pure accuracy
gunslinger
vsgun
16 8.7

A person in the Old West who uses guns very well, often a sheriff or outlaw

is broader, not limited to a historical or romantic figure
gunfighter
vsgun
  • US
12 6.3

A person who fights with guns, often in the Old West

is current and general, not tied to duels or historical fights
triggerman
vsgun
  • Literature
5 9.7

A person who uses a gun to kill people for money or on orders

also covers skilled users who are not criminals or killers
rifleman
vsgun
5 4.9

A soldier who uses a rifle as their main weapon

covers civilians or criminals who use firearms, not only soldiers
crack shot
vsgun
4 6.5

A person who hits targets very accurately with a gun

is broader, also including competent or criminal users
hired gun
vsgun
  • Offensive
4 8.9

A person paid to kill someone

is wider, covering any person who uses firearms skillfully or violently
gun for hire
vsgun
  • NSFW
2 9.1

A person who is paid to kill someone with a gun

includes both hired killers and skilled non‑hired firearm users
shootist
vsgun
  • Archaic
1 8.2

A person who is very good at using guns and hitting targets

stresses practical use or criminal hiring rather than sporting skill
torpedo
vsgun
  • NSFW
1 9.9

A person paid by criminals to kill people

is neutral and can refer to skilled shooters outside crime
pistoleer
vsgun
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A person who uses a small gun, often a soldier

is wider, covering any firearm user including non‑pistol weapons
capper
vsgun
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who kills someone, usually with a gun

is more formal and can mean skilled users as well as killers
gunwoman
vsgun
1 8.4

A woman who uses a gun, often to commit crimes

is gender neutral and emphasizes skill or professional use
markswoman
vsgun
1 7.7

A woman who shoots well with a gun

is broader, covering skilled or professional users regardless of gender
6.5

A person who shoots very well, often in the army or competitions

adds the idea of either skill or hired violent use rather than only skill
riflewoman
vsgun
8.0

A woman who is trained to use a rifle, often as a soldier or in shooting sports

is gender neutral and can include killers as well as sportspeople

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 Dangerous

assassin
  • NSFW
230 6.3
gun
  • NSFW
7.5
sharpshooter
24 5.2

Surface Forms

gun singular
guns plural

Etymology

Gun meaning a person comes from the weapon itself: someone very good with a gun is called a gun, like calling them a top 'shooter'. So this use means a skilled shooter or a professional who uses firearms.