Gatling gun

[ gat-ling ]

/ ˈgæt lɪŋ /

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See synonyms for Gatling gun on Thesaurus.com

noun

an early type of machine gun consisting of a revolving cluster of barrels around a central axis, each barrel being automatically loaded and fired every revolution of the cluster.

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Origin of Gatling gun

1860–65, Americanism; named after R. J. Gatling (1818–1903), U.S. inventor

Words nearby Gatling gun

Gathic, Gatineau, gating, Gatlinburg, Gatling, Gatling gun, gator, Gatorade, GATT, gat-toothed, Gatun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Gatling gun in a sentence

“You can imagine the sound of that gun on a Bronx street,” Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce says.
Shot Down During the NYPD Slowdown|Michael Daly|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
That act forever sealed his feeling for the Chief, bound it up with the war, with violence, with the gun.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I mean, the reality of it was, I had to go out and get on a horse, and ride in, shoot the gun — how hard was that, right?
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They were the machine gun bullets coming from the ambush when my company got hit.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Frias—who was arrested in 2013 for interfering with public duties and public intoxication—was not carrying a gun at the time.
Texas Gun Slingers Police the Police—With a Black Panthers Tactic|Brandy Zadrozny|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This was no strange sight to the boy by that time, but it was awkward in the circumstances, for he had neither gun nor spear.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
He turned at the sound of my voice with vastly more concern than he'd betrayed under the muzzle of Piegan's gun.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
He was a good judge of men, that eagle-faced major; he knew that the slightest move with hostile intent would mean a smoking gun.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
Here Robinson suddenly turned pale, and, hastily reaching out for his gun, sprang to his feet.
Davy and The Goblin|Charles E. Carryl
I begged him to come down here, but he wouldn't—says that his hand is no longer steady enough to hold a gun—it's awful!
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton

British Dictionary definitions for Gatling gun

Gatling gun

/ (ˈɡætlɪŋ) /

noun

a hand-cranked automatic machine gun equipped with a rotating cluster of barrels that are fired in succession using brass cartridges

Word Origin for Gatling gun

C19: named after R. J. Gatling (1818–1903), its US inventor

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012