gun

gun
\ \ [14] Gun probably comes, unlikely as it may seem, from the Scandinavian female forename Gunnhildr (originally a compound of gunnrwar’ and hildrwar’). It is by no means unusual for large fearsome weapons to be named after women (for reasons perhaps best left to psychologists): the huge German artillery weapon of World War I, Big Bertha, and the old British army musket, Brown Bess, are cases in point. And it seems that in the Middle Ages Gunnhildr or Gunhild was applied to various large rock-hurling seige weapons, such as the ballista, and later to cannon. The earliest recorded sense of gun (on this theory representing Gunne, a pet form of Gunhild) is ‘cannon’, but it was applied to hand-held firearms as they developed in the 15th century.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Gun — (g[u^]n), n. [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.] 1. A weapon which throws or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Gun fu — is the style of sophisticated close quarters gunplay seen in Hong Kong action cinema [cite book|title=The Cinema of Tsui Hark|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Hv3yJ6MaoYsC|page=203|author=Lisa Morton|publisher=McFarland|isbn=0786409908|year=20… …   Wikipedia

  • gun — [gun] n. [ME gunne, gonne, contr. < gonnilde, a 14th c. cannon < ON Gunnhildr, fem. name (< gunnr, older form of guthr, war + hildr, battle)] 1. a weapon consisting of a metal tube from which a projectile is discharged by the force of an …   English World dictionary

  • Gun — (englisch für Schusswaffe) beziehungsweise GUN steht für Gun (Schiff), Frachtdampfschiff aus Schweden mit 1.198 BRT Gun (Japan), ehemalige Verwaltungseinheit in Japan GUN, Videospiel von Activision The Gun, britische Hardrockband Ende der 60er… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gun — Gun: The Gun (группа)  английская рок группа. Gun (группа)  шотландская рок группа. Gun (игра)  компьютерная игра в стиле вестерна. Gun (телесериал) (англ.) телесериал США 1997 года. Gun сингл российской поп группы Serebro с… …   Википедия

  • gun — ► NOUN 1) a weapon incorporating a metal tube from which bullets or shells are propelled by explosive force. 2) a device for discharging something (e.g. grease) in a required direction. 3) N. Amer. a gunman: a hired gun. ► VERB (gunned, gunning)… …   English terms dictionary

  • GUN — o Gun puede referirse a: GUN, un videojuego de 2005 desarrollado por Neversoft y distribuido por Activision; GUN Records, una discográfica alemana. Esta página de desambiguación cataloga artículos relacionados con el mismo título. Si llegaste… …   Wikipedia Español

  • gunþjō — *gunþjō germ., stark. Femininum (ō): nhd. Kampf; ne. fight (Neutrum); Rekontruktionsbasis: got., an., ae., as., ahd.; Quelle: Personenname (4. Jh.); …   Germanisches Wörterbuch

  • GUN — Entwickler Neversoft Publisher …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gun — 〈[gʌ̣n] n. 15 oder f. 10; umg.〉 Spritze zum Injizieren von Rauschmitteln [engl., „Feuerwaffe“] * * * Gun [gan], das od. der; s, s [engl. amerik. gun = Injektionsnadel, spritze, eigtl. = Schusswaffe, Revolver] (Jargon): Spritze, mit der Rauschgift …   Universal-Lexikon

  • gunþa- — *gunþa , *gunþaz germ.?, stark. Maskulinum (a): nhd. Kampf, Kämpfer; ne. fight (Neutrum), fighter; Hinweis: s. *gunþjō; Quelle: Personenname; Etymologie: s. ing. *gʷhenə …   Germanisches Wörterbuch

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