gun (redirected from guns)

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.

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, noise

hold/put a gun to someone'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 also: head, hold

jump the gun

to do something too soon, especially without thinking carefully about it. He shouted at me before I had time to explain, but later he apologised for jumping the gun.

See also: jump

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.

a son of a gun

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

2. 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. 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

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 someone's guns

to spoil someone's plans. The African runner spiked her guns, overtaking her in the final minute.

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

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

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 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 someone

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

See also: down

hold a gun to someone'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.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of hold a gun to somebody's head(= to point a gun at a person to show them that you will shoot them dead if they don't do what you want)

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