guns

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   Plural of gun: more than one weapon that fires bullets or shells.

   Grammar: This is the plural form; the singular is "gun." Use it with plural verbs: "The guns were locked away."

   Patterns

   • guns were fired
   • carry guns
   • illegal guns

   The police found two guns hidden in the car.

   Soldiers cleaned their guns before the inspection.

   Many people believe that guns should be kept out of schools.

2. 2nounpluralinformal

   The muscles of the upper arms, especially when they look strong and well developed.

   Grammar: Informal and usually used in a positive or joking way. It almost always appears as "guns," not "gun."

   Patterns

   • show off your guns
   • flex your guns
   • big guns

   He rolled up his sleeves to show off his guns.

   After months of training, she finally had guns she was proud of.

   The coach told the players to flex their guns for the photo.

3. 3nounpluralmilitary

   Large, powerful pieces of artillery or heavy weapons.

   Grammar: Often used when talking about military equipment or warships. The singular "gun" can also mean a single large weapon.

   Patterns

   • heavy guns
   • the guns of a warship
   • enemy guns

   The ship's guns could hit targets several miles away.

   The sound of the guns could be heard across the valley.

   They moved the heavy guns into position before dawn.

Word forms

Common combinations

guns and ammunition

The rebels were caught with guns and ammunition.

guns blazing

The hero burst into the room with guns blazing.

stick to your guns

She stuck to her guns even when everyone disagreed.

jump the gun

Don't jump the gun and announce the results too early.

big guns

The company brought in its big guns to close the deal.

Synonyms and how they differ

firearms

More formal and technical; it usually refers to small weapons like pistols and rifles, not large artillery.

weapons

A much broader word that covers knives, bombs, and anything used to fight, not just guns.

artillery

Refers specifically to very large guns used by armies, so it fits military contexts better than everyday ones.

Word family

gun noun

A single weapon that fires bullets or shells.

gunner noun

A person who operates or fires a gun, especially in the military.

gunfire noun

The repeated shooting of guns.

gunshot noun

The sound or act of firing a gun.

gunman noun

A man who uses a gun, especially in a crime.

Commonly confused: guns or gum?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “guns”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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