gun (redirected from gone great guns)

*under pressure 

1. and *under a deadline; *under the gun (about something) Fig. facing or enduring something such as pressure or a deadline. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) I have to get back to work. I am under a deadline. I am under a lot of pressure lately. The management is under the gun for the mistakes made last year.

2. [of a gas or liquid] being forced, squeezed, or compressed. (*Typically: be ~; deliver something ~; put something ~.) The gas in the pipes leading to the oven are under pressure.

See also: pressure

beat the gun

Fig. to manage to do something before the ending signal. (Originally from sports, referring to scoring in the last seconds of a game just before the referee fires a gun to signal the end of the game.) The field goal beat the gun and was in the air just in time. Tom tried to beat the gun, but he was one second too slow.

See also: beat

Give it the gun. and Give her the gun.

Fig. to make a motor or engine run faster; to rev up an engine. (The her is often pronounced "er.") Bill: How fast will this thing go? Bob: I'll give it the gun and see. Hurry up, driver. Give 'er the gun. I've got to get there immediately.

See also: give

going great guns

Fig. going fast or energetically. I'm over my cold and going great guns. Business is great. We are going great guns selling ice cream.

See also: going, great

gun someone (or an animal) down

Lit. to shoot someone or an animal. Max tried to gun a policeman down. The cop tried to gun down the rabid dog.

gun for someone 

1. Lit. to seek one out to shoot one. They say that Tex is gunning for the sheriff.

2. Fig. to seek someone out in anger. The boss is gunning for you. I think that Walter is gunning for me.

jump the gun

Fig. to start before the starting signal. (Originally used in sports contests that are started by firing a gun.) We all had to start the race again because Jane jumped the gun. When we took the test, Tom jumped the gun and started early.

See also: jump

pull a gun (on someone) and pull a knife (on someone)

to bring out a gun or knife suddenly so that it is ready for use against someone. I screamed when the mugger pulled a knife on me. The police shot the thief when he pulled a gun.

See also: pull

son of a gun and son of a bachelor

a worthless person. (A substitute for son of a bitch.) That tightfisted son of a gun won't buy me a beer. He can be a real son of a bachelor when he's in a bad mood.

See also: son

stick to one's guns

Fig. to remain firm in one's convictions; to stand up for one's rights. (Fig. on a soldier remaining in place to fire a gun even when all appears to be lost.) I'll stick to my guns on this matter. I'm sure I'm right. Bob can be persuaded to do it our way. He probably won't stick to his guns on this point.

See also: stick

the smoking gun

Fig. the indisputable sign of guilt. (Fig. on a murderer being caught just after shooting the victim.) Mr. south was left holding the smoking gun. The chief of staff decided that the the aide should be found with the smoking gun.

See also: smoking

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a big gun/noise  (informal)

an important or powerful person in a group or organization She's a big gun in city politics.

See also: big

a smoking gun

information which proves without doubt that someone committed a crime A smoking gun was found in the form of an incriminating memorandum and Walker was convicted of theft.

See also: smoking

a son of a gun 

1. (American informal) a man who is unpleasant or who has made you angry He's one mean son of gun - so be careful around him.

2. (American & Australian informal) if you call a man or a boy a son of a gun, it is a way of showing affection for them The little son of a gun has done it again - he's won all his races.

3. (American informal) a way of referring to an object which is causing problems for you or making you angry The computer's crashed and I don't know how to get the son of a gun working again.

See also: son

be going great guns

to be doing something very successfully and quickly I know he had a little difficulty at the start of the course but he's going great guns now.

See also: going, great

be under the gun  (mainly American)

to feel anxious because you have to do something by a particular time or in a particular way Al's under the gun to decide by the end of the month whether to move with his company.

hold/put a gun to somebody's head

to use threats to force someone to do what you want Management are holding a gun to our heads. If we don't behave we'll lose our jobs.

See jump the gun

See also: head, hold

jump the gun

to do something too soon, especially without thinking carefully about it

Usage notes: If someone running in a race jumps the gun, they start running before the gun has been fired to start the race.

He shouted at me before I had time to explain, but later he apologised for jumping the gun.

See also: jump

Son of a gun!  (American & Australian informal)

something that you say in order to show that you are very surprised and shocked Son of a gun! I can't believe they put her in jail for that!

See also: son

spike somebody's guns

to spoil someone's plans

Usage notes: In the past, soldiers put spikes (= thin, pointed pieces of metal) into their enemies' guns in order to stop them working.

The African runner spiked her guns, overtaking her in the final minute.

stick to your guns  (British, American & Australian informal) also stand by your guns (American informal)

to refuse to change your ideas although other people try to make you change them

Usage notes: If a soldier sticks to his guns he continues to shoot at the enemy.

David's family were against him becoming an actor but he stuck to his guns. Stand by your guns and don't let them talk you into working full time if you don't want to.

See also: stick

with (your) guns blazing  also all guns blazing

if you do something, especially argue, with guns blazing, you do it with a lot of force and energy The boy's mother arrived at the school, all guns blazing, furious that her son had been suspended.

See spike guns

See also: blaze

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go great guns

to be very successful I'm not worried about our company's future - we're going great guns, and I expect it to continue.

Usage notes: usually used in the form going great guns

See also: great

gun down somebody also gun somebody down

to shoot someone He was the second major rap star to have been gunned down in the last six months.

hold a gun to somebody's head also put a gun to somebody's head

to use threats to get what you want No one held a gun to her head and made her live with the guy - she made that bad decision all on her own.

See also: head, hold

jump the gun

to do something before it should be done We do not want to jump the gun by making a statement about what caused the explosion before the investigation is completed.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of jump the gun (to begin to run a race before the gun that signals the start has been shot)

See also: jump

stick to your guns

to refuse to change your beliefs or actions My parents want me to study accounting, but I'm sticking to my guns and majoring in philosophy.

Etymology: based on the military meaning of stick to your guns (to continue shooting at an enemy although it puts you in great danger)

See also: stick

under the gun

to feel pressure to do something Al is under the gun to decide whether to move to Texas with his company.

Etymology: based on the idea of pointing a gun at someone to make them do something