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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

outgun en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˌaʊtˈɡʌn/ (Canada)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úd Proto-Germanic *ūt Proto-Germanic *ūt- Old English ūt- Middle English ut- English out- English gun English outgun From out- + gun.

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To defeat in terms of firepower.
    • "Boarding is our only chance here. We are too heavily outgunned." 1922, Rafael Sabatini, Captain Blood:
    • Two can play at destructive industrialism, and now we out-gun you. We are piling up munitions now faster than you. 1917, H.G. Wells, War and the Future:
    • There is no sporting purpose on earth that should stop the United States Congress from banishing assault weapons that outgun police and cut down children. 1994, Bill Clinton, State of the Union Address:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
outguns Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
outgunned Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
outgunned Tense=Past lexicographic
out-gun alternative lexicographic
outgunning Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic