from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Gun \Gun\ (g[u^]n), n. [OE. gonne, gunne; of uncertain origin;
cf. Ir., Gael., & LL. gunna, W. gum; possibly (like cannon)
fr. L. canna reed, tube; or abbreviated fr. OF. mangonnel, E.
mangonel, a machine for hurling stones.]
1. A weapon which throws or propels a missile to a distance;
any firearm or instrument for throwing projectiles,
consisting of a tube or barrel closed at one end, in which
the projectile is placed, with an explosive charge (such
as guncotton or gunpowder) behind, which is ignited by
various means. Pistols, rifles, carbines, muskets, and
fowling pieces are smaller guns, for hand use, and are
called {small arms}. Larger guns are called {cannon},
{ordnance}, {fieldpieces}, {carronades}, {howitzers}, etc.
See these terms in the Vocabulary.
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As swift as a pellet out of a gunne
When fire is in the powder runne. --Chaucer.
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The word gun was in use in England for an engine to
cast a thing from a man long before there was any
gunpowder found out. --Selden.
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2. (Mil.) A piece of heavy ordnance; in a restricted sense, a
cannon.
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3. pl. (Naut.) Violent blasts of wind.
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Note: Guns are classified, according to their construction or
manner of loading as {rifled} or {smoothbore},
{breech-loading} or {muzzle-loading}, {cast} or
{built-up guns}; or according to their use, as {field},
{mountain}, {prairie}, {seacoast}, and {siege guns}.
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{Armstrong gun}, a wrought iron breech-loading cannon named
after its English inventor, Sir William Armstrong.
{Big gun} or {Great gun}, a piece of heavy ordnance; hence
(Fig.), a person superior in any way; as, bring in the big
guns to tackle the problem.
{Gun barrel}, the barrel or tube of a gun.
{Gun carriage}, the carriage on which a gun is mounted or
moved.
{Gun cotton} (Chem.), a general name for a series of
explosive nitric ethers of cellulose, obtained by steeping
cotton in nitric and sulphuric acids. Although there are
formed substances containing nitric acid radicals, yet the
results exactly resemble ordinary cotton in appearance. It
burns without ash, with explosion if confined, but quietly
and harmlessly if free and open, and in small quantity.
Specifically, the lower nitrates of cellulose which are
insoluble in ether and alcohol in distinction from the
highest (pyroxylin) which is soluble. See {Pyroxylin}, and
cf. {Xyloidin}. The gun cottons are used for blasting and
somewhat in gunnery: for making celluloid when compounded
with camphor; and the soluble variety (pyroxylin) for
making collodion. See {Celluloid}, and {Collodion}. Gun
cotton is frequenty but improperly called
{nitrocellulose}. It is not a nitro compound, but an ester
of nitric acid.
{Gun deck}. See under {Deck}.
{Gun fire}, the time at which the morning or the evening gun
is fired.
{Gun metal}, a bronze, ordinarily composed of nine parts of
copper and one of tin, used for cannon, etc. The name is
also given to certain strong mixtures of cast iron.
{Gun port} (Naut.), an opening in a ship through which a
cannon's muzzle is run out for firing.
{Gun tackle} (Naut.), the blocks and pulleys affixed to the
side of a ship, by which a gun carriage is run to and from
the gun port.
{Gun tackle purchase} (Naut.), a tackle composed of two
single blocks and a fall. --Totten.
{Krupp gun}, a wrought steel breech-loading cannon, named
after its German inventor, Herr Krupp.
{Machine gun}, a breech-loading gun or a group of such guns,
mounted on a carriage or other holder, and having a
reservoir containing cartridges which are loaded into the
gun or guns and fired in rapid succession. In earlier
models, such as the {Gatling gun}, the cartridges were
loaded by machinery operated by turning a crank. In modern
versions the loading of cartidges is accomplished by
levers operated by the recoil of the explosion driving the
bullet, or by the pressure of gas within the barrel.
Several hundred shots can be fired in a minute by such
weapons, with accurate aim. The {Gatling gun}, {Gardner
gun}, {Hotchkiss gun}, and {Nordenfelt gun}, named for
their inventors, and the French {mitrailleuse}, are
machine guns.
{To blow great guns} (Naut.), to blow a gale. See {Gun}, n.,
3.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Deck \Deck\, n. [D. dek. See {Deck}, v.]
1. The floorlike covering of the horizontal sections, or
compartments, of a ship. Small vessels have only one deck;
larger ships have two or three decks.
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Note: The following are the more common names of the decks of
vessels having more than one.
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{Berth deck} (Navy), a deck next below the gun deck, where
the hammocks of the crew are swung.
{Boiler deck} (River Steamers), the deck on which the boilers
are placed.
{Flush deck}, any continuous, unbroken deck from stem to
stern.
{Gun deck} (Navy), a deck below the spar deck, on which the
ship's guns are carried. If there are two gun decks, the
upper one is called the main deck, the lower, the lower
gun deck; if there are three, one is called the middle gun
deck.
{Half-deck}, that portion of the deck next below the spar
deck which is between the mainmast and the cabin.
{Hurricane deck} (River Steamers, etc.), the upper deck,
usually a light deck, erected above the frame of the hull.
{Orlop deck}, the deck or part of a deck where the cables are
stowed, usually below the water line.
{Poop deck}, the deck forming the roof of a poop or poop
cabin, built on the upper deck and extending from the
mizzenmast aft.
{Quarter-deck}, the part of the upper deck abaft the
mainmast, including the poop deck when there is one.
{Spar deck}.
(a) Same as the upper deck.
(b) Sometimes a light deck fitted over the upper deck.
{Upper deck}, the highest deck of the hull, extending from
stem to stern.
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2. (arch.) The upper part or top of a mansard roof or curb
roof when made nearly flat.
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3. (Railroad) The roof of a passenger car.
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4. A pack or set of playing cards.
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The king was slyly fingered from the deck. --Shak.
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5. A heap or store. [Obs.]
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Who . . . hath such trinkets
Ready in the deck. --Massinger.
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6. (A["e]ronautics) A main a["e]roplane surface, esp. of a
biplane or multiplane.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
7. the portion of a bridge which serves as the roadway.
[PJC]
8. a flat platform adjacent to a house, usually without a
roof; -- it is typically used for relaxing out of doors,
outdoor cooking, or entertaining guests.
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{Between decks}. See under {Between}.
{Deck bridge} (Railroad Engineering), a bridge which carries
the track upon the upper chords; -- distinguished from a
through bridge, which carries the track upon the lower
chords, between the girders.
{Deck curb} (Arch.), a curb supporting a deck in roof
construction.
{Deck floor} (Arch.), a floor which serves also as a roof, as
of a belfry or balcony.
{Deck hand}, a sailor hired to help on the vessel's deck, but
not expected to go aloft.
{Deck molding} (Arch.), the molded finish of the edge of a
deck, making the junction with the lower slope of the
roof.
{Deck roof} (Arch.), a nearly flat roof which is not
surmounted by parapet walls.
{Deck transom} (Shipbuilding), the transom into which the
deck is framed.
{To clear the decks} (Naut.), to remove every unnecessary
incumbrance in preparation for battle; to prepare for
action.
{To sweep the deck} (Card Playing), to clear off all the
stakes on the table by winning them.
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