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Maxim gun

American  

noun

  1. an early single-barreled, water-cooled machine gun cocked by the force of its own recoil.


Maxim gun British  
/ ˈmæksɪm /

noun

  1. an obsolete water-cooled machine gun having a single barrel and utilizing the recoil force of each shot to maintain automatic fire

"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

Etymology

Origin of Maxim gun

First recorded in 1880–85; after H. S. Maxim

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.

See Examples For:

The Maxim gun had been invented by an American living in London and deployed by General Kitchener to devastating effect in colonial wars such as Sudan.

From BBC Mar. 24, 2014

The Maxim gun, invented in 1884, was the world’s first automatic machine gun.

From Textbooks Jan. 1, 2012

Whatever happens, we have got The Maxim gun and they have not.

From Time Magazine Archive

Hiram P. Maxim, 59, inventor of the Maxim gun silencer, has devised a silencer for aviation motors, which Fairchild Aviation Corp. is testing out.

From Time Magazine Archive

The old forts round the place were put into repair, and the armoured train, with a Maxim gun and a Nordenfeldt, was made ready for coming excursions.

From South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 2 (of 6) From the Commencement of the War to the Battle of Colenso, 15th Dec. 1899 by Creswicke, Louis

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