guns
guns — noun
1. a tool that sends bullets through a barrel by means of an explosive charge, used
a tool that sends bullets through a barrel by means of an explosive charge, used for hunting, competitive shooting, or self-defense.
Mert keeps a licensed gun in a locked safe at home.
The police found two illegal guns hidden inside the back of the van.
In many countries, strict laws control who may own a gun.
Ada watched the soldiers load their guns and prepare for the drill.
A single gun was fired into the air as a warning to the crowd.
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'fire', 'load', 'carry', 'own', and 'point' as the main verb. The subject is often a person or a law-enforcement body.
常見錯誤
2. the loud sound made when a gun is fired, especially to signal the beginning of a
the loud sound made when a gun is fired, especially to signal the beginning of a race or to mark a formal event.
The runners waited nervously for the starter's gun to go off.
collocation: starter's gun
A ceremonial gun was fired at noon to open the festival.
Minh heard the gun and began swimming as fast as she could.
At the sound of the gun, all the horses burst out of the gates.
Jumping before the gun means you could be disqualified from the race.
- starter's pistol
the specific device used to start races
- starting signal
a more general term that could be a whistle, horn, or flag
用法筆記
Common in sports contexts: 'starter's gun', 'starting gun'. The gun itself is a blank-firing pistol that makes a loud bang but fires no bullet.
常見錯誤
3. a hand-held tool that looks like a gun and is used to push out a liquid, a stick
a hand-held tool that looks like a gun and is used to push out a liquid, a sticky substance, or a stream of air in a controlled way.
Stephanie used a spray gun to paint the wooden fence in one afternoon.
collocation: spray gun
The mechanic filled the grease gun and pumped it into the machine's joints.
A glue gun works by melting a solid stick of glue into a hot liquid.
Nila pointed the heat gun at the paint to soften it before scraping it off.
Trang cleaned the nozzle of the spray gun after finishing the painting job.
- applicator
a more general term for any device that puts a substance onto a surface
- dispenser
a device that releases a substance, not necessarily gun-shaped
用法筆記
Always combines with a modifier that specifies the substance ('spray gun', 'glue gun', 'grease gun', 'heat gun'). The word 'gun' here describes the shape and hand-held trigger action, not a weapon.
4. someone employed by others to fire a weapon at a target, often carrying out a cr
someone employed by others to fire a weapon at a target, often carrying out a crime.
The police arrested two hired guns after the botched robbery.
informal phrase: hired gun
The police suspect a hired gun carried out the attack at the warehouse.
fixed phrase: hired gun
Neighbours said the quiet young man worked as a gunman for the local cartel.
Before becoming a hired gun, Mauricio sold stolen phones on the black market.
The novel follows an ageing hitman who hopes to leave the criminal world behind.
用法筆記
This sense is informal and often appears in crime fiction and news reports. 'Hired gun' is a common fixed phrase meaning a professional killer. The bare word 'gun' for a person is rarely used outside that fixed phrase.
常見錯誤
5. the pedal or lever inside a vehicle that you push with your foot to make the eng
the pedal or lever inside a vehicle that you push with your foot to make the engine work harder and the car go faster.
Eshe stepped on the gun and the truck shot forward along the highway.
collocation: step on the gun
The driver eased off the gun as the traffic light turned yellow ahead.
Floor the gun if you want to merge onto the fast lane in time.
Sivan pressed the gun to the floor and the engine roared loudly.
When Yuna pushed down on the gun, the car accelerated smoothly.
- accelerator
the standard formal term
- gas pedal
common US term, neutral in register
- throttle
technically the engine part, but used informally for the pedal
用法筆記
This is informal American English. In everyday conversation, most speakers say 'gas pedal' or 'accelerator'. 'Gun' in this sense is found in action movies and casual talk about driving fast.
guns — verb
- gunspresent simple I / you / we / they
- gunses3rd person singular
- gunsing-ing form
- gunsedpast simple
1. to shoot a gun at someone or something, usually with the aim of hitting them.
to shoot a gun at someone or something, usually with the aim of hitting them.
The rebels threatened to gun down anyone who crossed the border without permission.
phrasal verb: gun down + human object
Esme saw a man gunning at birds from his bedroom window early in the morning.
The robbers gunned down the security guard before grabbing the cash.
Two innocent bystanders were gunned down during the shootout at the gas station.
The gang vowed to gun down anyone who spoke to the police about the crime.
文法句型
gun + at + target
gun + down + person
用法筆記
The phrasal verb 'gun down' is always transitive and means to shoot someone seriously or fatally. The bare form 'gun at' is less common than 'shoot at' in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
2. to make a vehicle's engine run faster by pressing the accelerator pedal, usually
to make a vehicle's engine run faster by pressing the accelerator pedal, usually to start moving quickly or to increase speed suddenly.
The driver gunned the engine and sped away from the traffic lights.
pattern: gun + the engine
Nila gunned the motor to get the boat up onto the plane quickly.
Mert gunned the car through the empty streets late at night.
The racer gunned his motorcycle at the starting line and took off.
Do not gun the engine while the car is still in neutral gear.
- brake
to slow down or stop a vehicle by pressing the brake pedal
文法句型
gun + the engine / motor / car
用法筆記
Object is always a vehicle or engine ('gun the engine', 'gun the car', 'gun the motor'). Never used without an object in this sense. Common in informal speech and motorsport commentary.
常見錯誤
guns — idiom
1. slang term for well-developed arm muscles, especially the biceps and triceps, th
slang term for well-developed arm muscles, especially the biceps and triceps, that look as big and firm as rounded objects.
Mauricio flexed his guns at the beach and his friends all laughed.
slang register
After six months of weight training, Ada finally had visible guns.
The bodybuilder showed off his guns during the competition on stage.
Showing your guns in a T-shirt is a sign of pride in your training.
The gym instructor told the class that building guns takes time and effort.
用法筆記
Always in plural form 'guns'. Not used in formal writing. Heard in gyms, sports commentary, and casual conversation about bodybuilding. The related idiom 'show your guns' means to display your arm muscles proudly.