Synonyms for gunnings

Grammar : Noun

Spell : guhn-ing

Phonetic Transcription : ˈgʌn ɪŋ

Définition of gunnings

Origin : mid-14c., gunne "an engine of war that throws rocks, arrows or other missiles," probably a shortening of woman's name Gunilda, found in Middle English gonnilde "cannon" and in an Anglo-Latin reference to a specific gun from a 1330 munitions inventory of Windsor Castle ("...una magna balista de cornu quae Domina Gunilda ..."), from Old Norse Gunnhildr, woman's name, from gunnr + hildr, both meaning "war, battle." First element from PIE *gwhen- "to strike, kill" (see bane); for second, cf. Hilda.
The identification of women with powerful weapons is common historically (cf. Big Bertha, Brown Bess, Mons Meg, etc.); meaning shifted with technology, from cannons to firearms as they developed 15c. Great guns (cannon, etc.) distinguished from small guns (such as muskets) from c.1400. Applied to pistols and revolvers after 1744. Meaning "thief, rascal" is from 1858. Son of a gun is originally nautical. To jump the gun (1912, American English) is from track and field. Guns "a woman's breasts" (especially if prominent) attested by 2006.

As in shooting : noun firing a weapon

Example sentences :

To him she was beautiful as the Gunnings, and witty as Lady Mary.
Extract from : « The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches of Lord Macaulay, Vol. 3. (of 4) » by Thomas Babington Macaulay

To him she was beautiful as 20 the Gunnings, and witty as Lady Mary.
Extract from : « Macaulay's Life of Samuel Johnson » by Thomas Babington Macaulay

Walpole frequently alludes to the two Gunnings as the two handsomest sisters of their time.
Extract from : « Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 58, No. 362, December 1845 » by Various

So much Irish luck and beauty kept the Gunnings constantly in the centre of court affairs.
Extract from : « The Ladies » by E. Barrington

The people are not yet weary of gazing upon the Gunnings, and stared somewhat upon her last Sunday was se'night in the Park.
Extract from : « The Ladies » by E. Barrington

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Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019