gun1

[guhn] /gʌn/
noun
1.
a weapon consisting of a metal tube, with mechanical attachments, from which projectiles are shot by the force of an explosive; a piece of ordnance.
2.
any portable firearm, as a rifle, shotgun, or revolver.
3.
a long-barreled cannon having a relatively flat trajectory.
4.
any device for shooting something under pressure:
a paint gun; a staple gun.
5.
Slang. a person whose profession is killing; professional killer:
a gangland gun.
6.
British. a member of a shooting party.
7.
electron gun.
8.
Slang.
  1. (esp. in baseball) a player’s throwing arm.
  2. guns, the biceps or triceps of the arms:
    his big, muscular guns.
verb (used with object), gunned, gunning.
9.
to shoot with a gun (often followed by down):
The guards gunned down the fleeing convict.
10.
to cause (an engine, vehicle, aircraft, etc.) to increase in speed very quickly by increasing the supply of fuel.
verb (used without object), gunned, gunning.
11.
to hunt with a gun.
12.
to shoot with a gun.
Verb phrases
13.
gun for,
  1. to seek with intent to harm or kill.
  2. to seek; try earnestly to obtain:
    He is gunning for a raise.
Idioms
14.
give the gun, Slang. to put into motion or speed up:
We gave the motor the gun and drove off.
15.
jump the gun, Slang.
  1. to begin a race before the starting signal.
  2. to begin prematurely; act too hastily.
16.
spike someone's guns, to frustrate or prevent someone from accomplishing a plan:
Our competitors planned a surprise reduction in their rates, but we discovered it and were able to spike their guns.
17.
stick to one's guns, to maintain one's position in the face of opposition; stand firm:
They stuck to their guns and refused to submit.
Also, stand by one's guns.
18.
under the gun, under pressure, as to meet a deadline or solve a problem:
We're all under the gun with these new sales quotas.
Origin
1300-50; Middle English gunne, gonne, apparently short for Anglo-Latin Gunilda, gonnyld, name for engine of war; compare Old Norse Gunna, short for Gunnhildr woman's name
Related forms
gunless, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for jump the gun

gun

/ɡʌn/
noun
1.
  1. a weapon with a metallic tube or barrel from which a missile is discharged, usually by force of an explosion. It may be portable or mounted. In a military context the term applies specifically to a flat-trajectory artillery piece
  2. (as modifier): a gun barrel
2.
the firing of a gun as a salute or signal, as in military ceremonial
3.
a member of or a place in a shooting party or syndicate
4.
any device used to project something under pressure: a grease gun, a spray gun
5.
(US, slang) an armed criminal; gunman
6.
(Austral & NZ, slang)
  1. an expert
  2. (as modifier): a gun shearer, a gun batsman
7.
(slang) go great guns, to act or function with great speed, intensity, etc
8.
jump the gun, beat the gun
  1. (of a runner, etc) to set off before the starting signal is given
  2. (informal) to act prematurely
9.
spike someone's guns, See spike1 (sense 15)
10.
(informal) stick to one's guns, to maintain one's opinions or intentions in spite of opposition
verb guns, gunning, gunned
11.
when tr, often foll by down. to shoot (someone) with a gun
12.
(transitive) to press hard on the accelerator of (an engine): to gun the engine of a car
13.
(intransitive) to hunt with a gun
See also gun for
Word Origin
C14: probably from a female pet name shortened from the Scandinavian name Gunnhildr (from Old Norse gunnr war + hildr war)
Word Origin and History for jump the gun

gun

n.

mid-14c., gunne "an engine of war that throws rocks, arrows or other missiles," probably a shortening of woman's name Gunilda, found in Middle English gonnilde "cannon" and in an Anglo-Latin reference to a specific gun from a 1330 munitions inventory of Windsor Castle ("...una magna balista de cornu quae Domina Gunilda ..."), from Old Norse Gunnhildr, woman's name, from gunnr + hildr, both meaning "war, battle." First element from PIE *gwhen- "to strike, kill" (see bane); for second, cf. Hilda.

The identification of women with powerful weapons is common historically (cf. Big Bertha, Brown Bess, Mons Meg, etc.); meaning shifted with technology, from cannons to firearms as they developed 15c. Great guns (cannon, etc.) distinguished from small guns (such as muskets) from c.1400. Applied to pistols and revolvers after 1744. Meaning "thief, rascal" is from 1858. Son of a gun is originally nautical. To jump the gun (1912, American English) is from track and field. Guns "a woman's breasts" (especially if prominent) attested by 2006.

v.

"to shoot with a gun," 1620s, from gun (n.); the sense of "to accelerate an engine" is from 1930, from earlier phrase to give (something) the gun. Related: Gunned; gunning.

Slang definitions & phrases for jump the gun

jump the gun

verb phrase

To act prematurely: We planned it well, but jumped the gun and ruined it

[1940s+; beat the pistol is found by 1905]


gun 1

noun
  1. An armed criminal: They hired a gun to blast the competition (1859+)
  2. An important person; big gun: He's quite a gun around there now (1830+)
  3. The throttle of a car, airplane, etc: Get your stupid foot off the gun (1900s+)
  4. A hypodermic needle (1930s+ Narcotics)
  5. long, heavy surfboard (1960s+ Surfers)
  6. Throwing arm, esp a strong and accurate one (1929+ Baseball)
verb
  1. To shoot someone: Canales had no motive to gun Lou (1898+)
  2. To speed up an engine or vehicle, esp abruptly; goose: He gunned the Rolls into the parking spot (1940s+)
Related Terms

big gun, burp gun, give it the gun, jump the gun, scattergun, six-shooter, smoking gun, son of a bitch, tommy gun, zip gun


gun 2

noun

(also gon) A professional thief, esp a pickpocket

[1858+; fr Yiddish gonif]


Idioms and Phrases with jump the gun

jump the gun

Start doing something too soon, act too hastily. For example, The local weather bureau jumped the gun on predicting a storm; it didn't happen for another two days. This expression alludes to starting a race before the starter's gun has gone off, and supplants the earlier beat the pistol, which dates from about 1900. [ Mid-1900s ]

gun

In addition to the idiom beginning with
gun
also see: