gun
gb/ɡˈʌn/ us/ɡˈʌn/
A2
Anglais
~ 1800
Sens
0 sens
Nom
A2
entity
1
A portable firearm
A small weapon you hold in your hand that shoots bullets.
Schéma d’usage :
to fire [a gun]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'gun' with 'rifle' or 'pistol'. 'Gun' is the general term; 'rifle' and 'pistol' are specific types.
Synonymes
firearm (A more formal and general term that includes all kinds of guns, both handheld and mounted.)
Antonymes
unarmed (Describes a person without a weapon, the opposite of having a gun.)
Collocations
fire a gun
|carry a gun
|load a gun
|point a gun
|gun violence
Thèmes
weapons
|law enforcement
|crime
|law
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The police officer drew his gun.
- She learned how to clean and maintain her gun.
- Gun violence is a serious problem in many cities.
- He pointed the gun at the target.
- The suspect was found with an illegal gun.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The man has a gun.
- He uses a gun to hunt.
- I see a police officer with a gun.
- The soldier carries a gun.
- She cleans her gun every week.
Nom
B1
entity
2
Device for spraying or shooting material
A tool that pushes out paint, nails, or another material with force.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] gun
Synonymes
sprayer (Refers specifically to devices that spray liquids, not all materials.)
Collocations
nail gun
|glue gun
|spray gun
Thèmes
tools
|technology
|work
Exemples
- The painter used a spray gun to cover the wall quickly.
- He fixed the chair with a nail gun.
- A glue gun can make crafting easier.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I have a spray gun for painting.
- She uses a glue gun for art.
- He works with a nail gun every day.
Verbe
informal
B2
action
3
Accelerate suddenly or strongly
To make a car or engine go faster very quickly.
Schéma d’usage :
to gun [the engine]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse this with 'shoot'; in this sense it relates to speed, not weapons.
Synonymes
rev (Means to increase engine speed, but not always with intent to move quickly.)
Antonymes
brake (Means to slow down or stop, the opposite of accelerating.)
Collocations
gun the engine
|gun it
Thèmes
transportation
|daily life
|daily_life
Exemples
- He gunned the engine and sped off.
- The driver gunned it to beat the light.
- She gunned the boat across the lake.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He gunned the car and left fast.
- She gunned it to cross the road.
- The boat gunned across the water.
Nom
informal
B2
entity
4
A person skilled in shooting or armed work
A person who is good at using guns.
Synonymes
marksman (Refers to someone skilled at shooting accurately, often in formal contexts.)
Collocations
hired gun
|top gun
Thèmes
people
|weapons
|law
|sports
Exemples
- The gang brought in a hired gun for the job.
- He's the top gun in the tournament.
- They called in their best gun to handle security.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He is a hired gun.
- She is the top gun in the team.
- They use their best gun for the job.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
gun
API
GB/ɡˈʌn/
US/ɡˈʌn/
Syllabes et accentuation
gun (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (gun)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: gun
- Plural: guns
Verb
- Base: gun
- 3rd Person Singular: guns
- Present Participle: gunning
- Past: gunned
Famille de mots
Forms
guns
noun
gunning
verb
gunned
verb
Core family
gunshot
noun B2
gunfire
noun
Related words
Advanced or less common
gunnery
noun
gunsmith
noun
Points clés
- Irregular present participle: gunning Verb
- Irregular past: gunned Verb
Expressions
big guns
1/bˈɪɡ ɡˈʌnz/
idiom
informal
Important or powerful people in a field
People who have power or are important in an area of work or activity.
Exemples
- They brought in the big guns for the negotiation.
- The big guns of the tech industry met at the conference.
under the gun
1/ˈʌndɚ ðə ɡˈʌn/
idiom
informal
Under time or performance pressure
Feeling stress because you must do something quickly or by a certain time.
Exemples
- I'm really under the gun with this project due tomorrow.
- They've been under the gun since the new boss arrived.
jump the gun
1/d͡ʒˈʌmp ðə ɡˈʌn/
idiom
informal
Act too early or prematurely
To start doing something too soon before you should.
Exemples
- They jumped the gun by announcing the product before it was ready.
- I think we jumped the gun by announcing the project before getting approval.
- Don't jump the gun on your assignment; wait for instructions.
- Don’t jump the gun—wait until we have all the facts.
son of a gun
1/sˈʌn əv ə ɡˈʌn/
idiom
informal
mild surprise or admiration
A friendly way to show surprise or that you think someone is clever or lucky.
Exemples
- Well, you son of a gun, you actually did it!
- Well, son of a gun! I didn't expect to see you here.
- You son of a gun, that was amazing.
- That son of a gun fixed my car for free.
stick to your guns
1/stˈɪk tə jˈʊɹ ɡˈʌnz/
idiom
informal
Refuse to change decision/opinion
To keep your opinion or plan even when people say you are wrong.
Exemples
- She stuck to her guns during the debate.
- Even under criticism, he stuck to his guns.
stick to your guns
2/stˈɪk tə jˈʊɹ ɡˈʌnz/
idiom
Stay firm in your beliefs or decisions
To not change your opinion or decision even when people disagree with you.
Exemples
- Even under pressure, she stuck to her guns and refused to sign the deal.
- You should stick to your guns if you believe you're right.