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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
: 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'.