Guns — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb phrase plural noun /ˈgən/ (noun) /ˈbō-ˌfȯrz-/ (noun)

Meaning & Definition of Guns

Guns (noun)

  1. a piece of ordnance usually with high muzzle velocity and comparatively flat trajectory
  2. a portable firearm (such as a rifle or handgun)
  3. a device that throws a projectile
  4. a gun from which a projectile is propelled by compressed air
  5. any of various hand tools that work by compressed air; especially, airbrush
  6. one having preeminent status or power in a field
  7. a double-barreled automatic antiaircraft gun

Guns (verb)

  1. to fire on
  2. shoot
  3. to open up the throttle of so as to increase speed

Guns (phrase)

  1. to achieve great success
  2. to maintain one's position especially in face of opposition
  3. to ruin an opponent's plans
  4. while firing guns —often used figuratively with respect to forceful effort

Guns (plural noun)

  1. the most powerful people, companies, organizations, etc.

Guns (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. large firearms (as cannons or rockets)

    "the field commander called for the big guns to be deployed for the full-scale assault"

    similar: artillery, ordnance
    related: ammunition, armament, arms, munitions, weaponry, weapons

Guns (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to strike with a missile from a gun

    "traded stories of the Wild West, when outlaws gunned men down in broad daylight and in cold blood"

    similar: drills, plugs, pops, shoots
    related: blows away, brings down, drops, picks off, shoots down, blazes, peppers, potshots, snipes (at), blasts (at), fires (at), pistols, shotguns, machine-guns, tommy-guns, croaks (slang), destroys, dispatches, does in, fells, ices (slang), kills, slays, annihilates, blots out, butchers, decimates, massacres, slaughters, wipes out

Related Entry: Gun (noun)

Gun is a different word from Guns. The synonyms below are for gun, not for guns.

  1. a portable weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder

    "while her father preferred hunting with a crossbow, she preferred a gun"

    similar: arm, firearm, heat (slang), piece, small arm
    related: derringer, forty-five, gat (slang), handgun, pistol, revolver, rod (slang), roscoe (slang), sidearm, six-gun, six-shooter, zip gun, self-loader, semiautomatic, blunderbuss, breechloader, culverin, fieldpiece, firelock, flintlock, harquebus, matchlock, musket, rifle, shotgun, smoothbore, twenty-two, AK-47, assault rifle, assault weapon, automatic, carbine, machine gun, machine pistol, repeater, submachine gun, tommy gun, speargun

  2. large firearms (as cannons or rockets)

    "the field commander called for the big guns to be deployed for the full-scale assault"

    similar: artillery, ordnance
    related: ammunition, armament, arms, munitions, weaponry, weapons

Related Entry: Gun (verb)

Gun is a different word from Guns. The synonyms below are for gun, not for guns.

  1. to strike with a missile from a gun

    "traded stories of the Wild West, when outlaws gunned men down in broad daylight and in cold blood"

    similar: drill, plug, pop, shoot
    related: blow away, bring down, drop, pick off, shoot down, blaze, pepper, potshot, snipe (at), blast (at), fire (at), pistol, shotgun, machine-gun, tommy-gun, croak (slang), destroy, dispatch, do in, fell, ice (slang), kill, slay, annihilate, blot out, butcher, decimate, massacre, slaughter, wipe out

Related Entry: Guns (for) (verb)

Guns (for) is a different word from Guns. The synonyms below are for guns (for), not for guns.

  1. as in kills, shoots

    similar: harpoons, kills, shoots, courses, pursues, runs, runs down, spoors, tracks, trails, poaches, dogs, ferrets, hawks, hounds, culls, captures, drags, nets, snares, traps, chases, hunts, stalks

Related Entry: Hired guns (noun)

Hired guns is a different word from Guns. The synonyms below are for hired guns, not for guns.

  1. as in hit men, hatchet men

    similar: hatchet men, hit men, polemicists, polemists, barracuda, sharks, attack dogs, mudslingers

Related Entry: Machine guns (noun)

Machine guns is a different word from Guns. The synonyms below are for machine guns, not for guns.

  1. as in assault weapons, assault rifles

    similar: AK-47s, assault rifles, assault weapons, automatics, carbines, machine pistols, repeaters, submachine guns, tommy guns, blunderbusses, breechloaders, culverins, fieldpieces, firelocks, flintlocks, harquebuses, matchlocks, muskets, rifles, shotguns, smoothbores, twenty-twos, spearguns, self-loaders, semiautomatics, derringers, forty-fives, gats (slang), handguns, pistols, revolvers, rods (slang), roscoes (slang), sidearms, six-guns, six-shooters, zip guns, arms, firearms, guns, heat (slang), pieces, small arms

Related Entry: Machine-guns (verb)

Machine-guns is a different word from Guns. The synonyms below are for machine-guns, not for guns.

  1. as in tommy-guns

    similar: tommy-guns, pistols, shotguns, croaks (slang), destroys, dispatches, does in, fells, ices (slang), kills, slays, blasts (at), fires (at), annihilates, blots out, butchers, decimates, massacres, slaughters, wipes out, blazes, peppers, potshots, snipes (at), blows away, brings down, drops, picks off, shoots down, drills, guns, plugs, pops, shoots

Related Entry: Six-guns (noun)

Six-guns is a different word from Guns. The synonyms below are for six-guns, not for guns.

  1. as in handguns, pistols

    similar: derringers, forty-fives, gats (slang), handguns, pistols, revolvers, rods (slang), roscoes (slang), sidearms, six-shooters, zip guns, arms, firearms, guns, heat (slang), pieces, small arms, self-loaders, semiautomatics, blunderbusses, breechloaders, culverins, fieldpieces, firelocks, flintlocks, harquebuses, matchlocks, muskets, rifles, shotguns, smoothbores, twenty-twos, AK-47s, assault rifles, assault weapons, automatics, carbines, machine guns, machine pistols, repeaters, submachine guns, tommy guns, spearguns

Related Entry: Submachine guns (noun)

Submachine guns is a different word from Guns. The synonyms below are for submachine guns, not for guns.

  1. as in assault weapons, machine guns

    similar: AK-47s, assault rifles, assault weapons, automatics, carbines, machine guns, machine pistols, repeaters, tommy guns, blunderbusses, breechloaders, culverins, fieldpieces, firelocks, flintlocks, harquebuses, matchlocks, muskets, rifles, shotguns, smoothbores, twenty-twos, spearguns, self-loaders, semiautomatics, derringers, forty-fives, gats (slang), handguns, pistols, revolvers, rods (slang), roscoes (slang), sidearms, six-guns, six-shooters, zip guns, arms, firearms, guns, heat (slang), pieces, small arms

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Guns

The most common words with a similar meaning to Guns:

artillery, ordnance, drills, plugs, pops, shoots

Related Words for Guns

ammunition, armament, arms, munitions, weaponry, weapons, blows away, brings down, drops, picks off, shoots down, blazes, peppers, potshots, snipes (at), blasts (at), fires (at), pistols, shotguns, machine-guns, tommy-guns, croaks, destroys, dispatches, does in, fells, ices, kills, slays, annihilates

Word Forms of Guns

Inflections: gunned, gunning

Derived words: gunned (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Guns

Middle English gonne, gunne

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Guns

go great guns, stick to one's guns, spike someone's guns, the big guns, with guns blazing

Frequently Asked Questions about Guns

What does "Guns" mean?

"Guns" means a piece of ordnance usually with high muzzle velocity and comparatively flat trajectory. As an a noun, a verb, a phrase and a plural noun, it is defined as: a piece of ordnance usually with high muzzle velocity and comparatively flat trajectory. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Guns"?

Other words for "Guns" include artillery, ordnance, drills, plugs, pops and shoots. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Guns" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Guns"?

There are 42 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Guns". Common alternatives include artillery, ordnance, drills, plugs, pops and shoots.

How do you use "Guns" in a sentence?

Examples of "Guns" in a sentence: "the field commander called for the big guns to be deployed for the full-scale assault"; "traded stories of the Wild West, when outlaws gunned men down in broad daylight and in cold blood".

Is "Guns" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Guns" can be used as a noun, a verb, a phrase and a plural noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Guns"?

"Guns" is pronounced /ˈgən/ as a noun and /ˈbō-ˌfȯrz-/ as a noun.

What is the origin of the word "Guns"?

"Guns" comes from Middle English gonne, gunne. First known use: 14th century.

What is another word for "Guns" meaning "large firearms (as cannons or rockets)"?

When "Guns" (noun) means large firearms (as cannons or rockets), synonyms include artillery and ordnance.