Gŭn1, n.
n. [O. Eng. gonne, gone, gunne, goon, Ir., Gael., & L. Lat. gunna, W. gun, Corn. gun, probably, like cannon, from Lat. canna, reed, tube, or abbreviated from L. Lat. mangona, mangonus, mango, manganum; Gr. μάγγανον, a machine for defending fortifications; O. Fr. mangonne, mangonnel, mangonneau, a machine for hurling stones; It. mangano; or, perhaps, from O. Eng. gyn, gynne, gin, abbreviation of engine, though both words are distinguished in the following passage of Chaucer: “They dradde non assault of gynne, gonne, nor skaffaut.”] 1. A weapon which throws or propels a missile to a distance; any fire-arm or instrument, except the pistol and mortar, for throwing projectiles by the explosion of gunpowder, consisting of a tube or barrel closed at one end, in which the missile is placed, with an explosive charge below, which is fired through a small hole or vent. Muskets, rifles, carbines, and fowling-pieces are smaller guns, for hand use. Larger guns are called cannon, ordnance, field-pieces, carronades, howitzers, &c. The word gun was in use in England for an engine to throw a thing from a man long before there was any gunpowder found out. Selden. 2. (Mil.) A heavy cannon distinguished from others by its great weight and length, and the absence of a chamber. It is used to throw solid shot with large charges, for the purpose of attaining great range, accuracy, and penetration. Benton. Armstrong gun (so called from the inventor, Sir William G. Armstrong, of England), a breech-loading, rifled cannon, composed wholly of wrought iron, in the form of long bars, which are coiled into spiral tubes, and then welded by forging. It carries a projectile made of segments of cast iron, built round a cylindrical cavity in the center, which contains the bursting charge. [See Illust. of Armstrong Gun.]—Dahlgren gun (so called from its inventor, an officer in the United States navy), a large gun similar to the Columbiad. See COLUMBIAD.—Paixhan gun (so called from General Paixhan, who introduced it into the French service), the same as the Columbiad.—Parrot gun, a rifled field gun invented by R. P. Parrot, of West Point, for firing an elongated bullet similar to the Minié bullet, re-enforced by iron. This gun has, in reference to the projectile, three grooves, and a twist of one turn in ten feet.—Whitworth gun (so called from its inventor, Mr. Whitworth, of Manchester, Eng.,) a breech-loading, rifled cannon, of wrought iron, characterized by its hexagonal bore, rapid twist, and projectile of unusual length.