squirt gun
7
2.1
- noun
- /skwɜrt ɡʌn/
- US
:
pistola de agua
- What are you doing with Billy's squirt gun?
- squirt gun fight
- squirt guns filled with water
- super squirt gun
Examples
-
She grabs another squirt gun and fills it.
Fiction book (1999) -
It's a squirt gun.
-
Keep your eye on the squirt gun.
-
- It's a squirt gun, sir.
-
Do you still have your squirt gun?
-
Now, if we can get enough squirt guns to the kids at the dance tonight.
-
You got yourself a squirt gun out here in the desert.
Fiction book (1992) -
Jeff points the squirt gun at her.
Fiction book (1993) -
Use your squirt guns!
-
The children laughed as they filled their squirt gun with water for the backyard party.
Synonyms
9
1.0
A toy that sprays water for children to play with
5
1.9
A small toy that shoots a thin stream of water
4
1.3
A small toy that sprays water for play
Antonyms
How Powerful
- US
7
2.1
4
1.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositional: 'squirt' denotes a spray of liquid and 'gun' denotes a handheld device that shoots, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it is a device that squirts water. This type of noun + noun construction (cf. 'water gun') is cross-linguistically common and therefore immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.
Etymology
Squirt gun may come from the clear image of a small gun that squirts water. That's why the name means a toy that 'shoots' or 'sprays' water.