gun for

verb

1. to search for in order to reprimand, punish, or kill

2. to try earnestly for

   he was gunning for promotion

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Go after in earnest, try hard to obtain. For example, He's been gunning for a raise all year . [ Slang ; mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

To get a picture in your head, rewatch the original “Top Gun” for NTC’s cameo when Tom Cruise’s Maverick rides toward the house of Kelly McGillis’ Charlie along the complex’s Roosevelt Road with the arcaded buildings perfectly framing the shot.

From Los Angeles Times

Serafini entered the Spohrs’ Lake Tahoe home June 5, 2021, where prosecutors said he secretly waited with a .22 caliber gun for several hours for the victims to return before ambushing them.

From Los Angeles Times

The starting gun for the first heat had gone off more than four hours earlier, and new heats were heading out every hour on the hour.

From Los Angeles Times

Video from the body-worn cameras of several responding officers was obstructed by a fence around Lauren’s yard; officers could be heard yelling at Lauren to drop her gun for several minutes.

From Los Angeles Times

She also alleged that he asked her to buy a gun for him, as he could not, given his arrest record.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• check 
• comb 
• examine 
• explore 
• go through 
• hunt 
• hunt for www.thesaurus.com
• inspect 
• investigate 
• look 
• probe 
• ransack 
• scan 
• scour 
• scout 
• scrutinize 
• seek 
• sift