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Webster 1913 Edition

Gun

(gŭn)

Noun.

[OE.

gonne

gunne

; of uncertain origin; cf. Ir., Gael., & LL.

gunna

, W.

gum

; possibly (like cannon) fr. L.

canna

reed, tube; or abbreviated fr. OF.

mangonnel

, E.

mangonel

, a machine for hurling stones.]

A weapon which throws or propels a missile to a distance; any firearm or instrument for throwing projectiles, consisting of a tube or barrel closed at one end, in which the projectile is placed, with an explosive charge (such as guncotton or gunpowder) behind, which is ignited by various means. Pistols, rifles, carbines, muskets, and fowling pieces are smaller guns, for hand use, and are called

small arms

. Larger guns are called

cannon

ordnance

fieldpieces

carronades

howitzers

, etc. See these terms in the Vocabulary.

As swift as a pellet out of a

gunne

When fire is in the powder runne.

Chaucer.

The word

gun

was in use in England for an engine to cast a thing from a man long before there was any gunpowder found out.

Selden.

(Mil.)

A piece of heavy ordnance; in a restricted sense, a cannon.

pl.

(Naut.)

Violent blasts of wind.

☞ Guns are classified, according to their construction or manner of loading as

rifled

smoothbore

breech-loading

muzzle-loading

cast

built-up guns

; or according to their use, as

field

mountain

prairie

seacoast

, and

siege guns

Webster 1828 Edition

Gun

GUN

Noun.

An instrument consisting of a barrel or tube of iron or other metal fixed in a stock, from which balls, shot or other deadly weapons are discharged by the explosion of gunpowder. The larger species of guns are called cannon; and the smaller species are called muskets, carbines, fowling pieces, &c. But one species of fire-arms, the pistol, is never called a gun.

GUN

Verb.

To shoot.

Definition 2024

guṅ

See also: gun, Gun, gùn, gūn, gün, Gün, and gǔn

Old Javanese

Alternative forms

göṅ, gĕṅ

Noun

guṅ

Alternative spelling of göṅ

Adjective