gun for
Britishverb
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to search for in order to reprimand, punish, or kill
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to try earnestly for
he was gunning for promotion
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Pursue relentlessly so as to overcome or destroy. For example, He was sure they were gunning for him and asked for police protection , or The senator felt that the reporters were gunning for him with that article about his brother . [ Slang ; late 1800s]
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Go after in earnest, try hard to obtain. For example, He's been gunning for a raise all year . [ Slang ; mid-1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Think of this deal—formally called a “memorandum of understanding”—as a starting gun for talks that could yield a lasting peace.
From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2026
A Pentagon contract award often is a starting gun for Lockheed to gather proposals from parts makers, including Boeing, L3Harris and others.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
Jackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe was meant to take the stand as a smoking gun for the prosecution but instead revealed no new information and came to Jackson’s defense.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
That equates to one gun for every seven Australians, the report says.
From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2025
He said, You can’t be running around the playground with that water gun, for one.
From "Harbor Me" by Jacqueline Woodson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
