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to gun down

to gun down

52 7.4
To shoot someone, often causing serious harm or death
  • phrasal verb
  • /ɡʌn daʊn/
  • Offensive
translation icon : asesinar a tiros
  • Now put your gun down.

He was denied all of that because he was gunned down in the street.

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Examples

Synonyms

to shoot
vsto gun down
  • NSFW
1.8

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

is focused on causing serious injury or death rather than mere firing
to hit
vsto gun down
  • Offensive
653 8.8

To kill someone as part of a plan, often by hired people

covers any firing that causes death, not only planned contract killings
to shot
vsto gun down
73 1.9

To fire a gun or hit something with a bullet

usually implies killing or serious injury rather than possible harmless firing
to gun
vsto gun down
67 3.2

To shoot someone or something with a weapon that fires bullets

emphasizes causing severe harm or death rather than simply using a weapon
to bust a cap
vsto gun down
  • Offensive
10 9.9

Shoot someone with a gun, often during violence or threats

is the neutral term for causing serious harm by firing, not slang
to mow down
vsto gun down
  • Offensive
9 8.8

To kill or hurt many people suddenly, usually with guns

focuses on single or targeted fatal firing rather than mass indiscriminate harm
to strike down
vsto gun down
  • NSFW
6 6.8

Cause someone to fall, become sick, or die suddenly

refers specifically to causing death by firing rather than illness or accident

Antonyms

1.0

To keep someone or something safe from harm

1.0

Rescue someone or something from danger

How Violent

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

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

gun + down

The meaning 'to shoot and bring down' is directly built from the verb 'gun' (to fire a firearm) plus 'down' (to bring down/defeat), so the overall sense is compositional rather than idiomatic. This follows standard verb + particle patterns and would be predictable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent meanings.

Etymology

The verb gun down comes from a simple image: someone shoots with a gun and the other person falls down to the ground. That's why it means 'to shoot someone, often killing them'.