rear gunner
- noun
- /rɪr ˈɡʌnər/
- Specialized
:
artillero trasero
- The rear gunner had to remain alert, knowing that his position was vital for the safety of the entire crew.
Examples
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Rear gunner on B-17 337833.
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He's a rear gunner.
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Alonso just did not have the pace, and he had to rely heavily on his rear-gunner, Massa, who was right behind him and doing all he could to restrain the big line of drivers behind them.
Blog text (1) -
A chauffeur-driven Mercedes was dispatched to the school gate, and I was driven off to my first encounter with the aristocracy, chauffeured by Tommy, who was once a rear gunner in a Lancaster bomber.
Academic text (2015) -
During the mission, the rear gunner provided crucial support by defending the aircraft from enemy fire.
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As the plane flew over hostile territory, the rear gunner readied his weapon, prepared to defend against an attack.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a crew member who operates a defensive gun at the back of an aircraft' is directly derivable from combining 'rear' (located at the back) with 'gunner' (a person who operates a gun). This adjective + noun composition is literal and follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should understand the MWE.
Etymology
Rear gunner is a straight name from wartime planes. The person sat at the back of the plane, the rear, and used a gun, the gunner, to watch and shoot at enemies coming from behind, so the phrase means 'the crew member who defends the plane from attacks from the rear'.
