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to gun

to gun

67 3.2
To shoot someone or something with a weapon that fires bullets
  • verb
  • /ɡʌn/
translation icon : disparar
  • The soldier gunned at the target during the training exercise.

Examples

  • You got to just gun it, you know what I mean?

  • Your partner guns the truck, takes the whole wall with him.

  • His mouth twists into a smile as he guns the engine and leaves.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • By the time I reached the car, Jack was already gunning the gas.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Makes his choice and guns the jet ski straight at Kenny.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Okay, gun it!

  • The remaining thug has now dropped back in the Mercedes and guns it after him...

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Max grabs Ashoka, who breaks free and guns the cycle down a side street.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • We came to a hill, and Matt downshifted, gunning it over the rise.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The fighter jets gun it and overtake the smaller planes in front of them.

    Fiction book (1996)

Synonyms

to shoot
vsto gun
  • NSFW
1.8

Fire a gun at a person or animal to try to kill

means specifically using a handheld firearm
to fire
vsto gun
1.0

To shoot a gun at a target

is the simple action of using a firearm
to open fire
vsto gun
  • NSFW
115 4.1

Start shooting at people or things with a gun

refers to using a firearm, not only the start of action
to shot
vsto gun
73 1.9

To fire a gun or hit something with a bullet

focuses on using a handheld firearm for that action
to gun down
vsto gun
  • Offensive
52 7.4

To shoot someone, often causing serious harm or death

describes using a firearm without implying lethality or intent
to machine-gun
vsto gun
10 7.4

Shoot many bullets very quickly at someone or something

is general use of a handheld firearm, not a specific automatic weapon
to shotgun
vsto gun
4.9

Shoot birds, animals, or clay targets with a gun from the shoulder

is general firearm use, not limited to that weapon or target

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

Phrasal Verbs

to gun down
  • Offensive
52 7.4

To shoot someone, often causing serious harm or death

to jump the gun
  • Informal
29 5.3

To act before the right time, often too soon

to gun for
  • Informal
15 4.7

To try very hard to get a promotion or top position

to gun for
  • Offensive
10 7.9

To try to make someone look bad or get them into trouble

9.8

To try very hard and work quickly to finish something

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 Violent

kill
349 4.4
to gun down
  • Offensive
52 7.4
to gun
67 3.2
to shoot
  • NSFW
1.8
to fire
1.0

Surface Forms

gun infinitive
gunned past
gunned past participle
gunning present participle
guns third person singular

Etymology

Gun as a verb comes from the noun: to 'gun' someone is to use a gun to shoot them, so the verb simply means to fire a weapon. That's why phrases like 'gunned down' describe being shot.