gun, in general, any weapon that discharges shot, shells, or bullets by the explosion of gunpowder or some other explosive from a straight tube. See firearm firearm, device consisting essentially of a straight tube to propel shot, shell, or bullets by the explosion of gunpowder . Although the Chinese discovered gunpowder as early as the 9th cent., they did not develop firearms until the mid-14th cent.
..... Click the link for more information. ; artillery artillery, originally meant any large weaponry (including such ancient engines of war as catapults and battering rams) or war material, but later applied only to heavy firearms as opposed to small arms .
..... Click the link for more information. ; small arms small arms, firearms designed primarily to be carried and fired by one person and, generally, held in the hands, as distinguished from heavy arms, or artillery .

Early Small Arms

The first small arms came into general use at the end of the 14th cent.
..... Click the link for more information. .

gun

Weapon consisting essentially of a metal tube from which a missile or projectile is shot by the force of exploding gunpowder or some other propellant. The term is often limited today to the so-called big guns, cannon larger than a howitzer or mortar. It may also be used to refer to military small arms such as the rifle, machine gun, and pistol, as well as to nonmilitary firearms such as the shotgun. Though the Chinese used gunpowder in warfare from the 9th century, guns were not developed until the Europeans acquired gunpowder in the 13th century. The earliest guns (c. 1327) resembled old-fashioned soda bottles; they apparently were fired by applying a red-hot wire to a touchhole drilled through the top. Separating the barrel and the powder chamber resulted in breechloaders, which continued to be used in naval swivel guns and fortress wallpieces well into the 17th century. Small arms, as distinguished from hand cannon, did not exist until the development of the matchlock in the 15th century. See also flintlock, wheel lock.

gun [gən]

(ordnance)

A piece of ordnance, consisting essentially of a tube or barrel, for throwing projectiles by force, usually the force of an explosive but sometimes that of compressed gas, a spring, or so on.

(jargon)

gun - (ITS, from the ":GUN" command) To forcibly terminate a program or job (computer, not career). "Some idiot left a background process running soaking up half the cycles, so I gunned it."

Compare can.

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Early Small Arms

gun

gun
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