Welcome to the Slangpedia entry on “guns”!🔫🎯 Here you’ll find a massive list of slang terms that can be used to refer to guns, and slang words that are related to being in possession of a firearm. Without further ado, our list of slang terms for guns:
- Heat/heater: commonly used to describe a weapon of some kind, usually a pistol.
- Usage: “You packing heat?”
- Origin: 1932 W. R. BURNETT Silver Eagle ‘He don’t even pack a heater.’ ‘Don’t what?’ ‘He don’t carry a gun.’
- Gat: Came from shortening Gattling gun to just gat, meaning most any type of gun.
- Usage: “I had to shut up: the dealers had gats, my boys didn’t.”
- Origin: Was used during the prohibition era to name any gun, but specifically the thompson submachine gun, aka The Tommy Gun.
- Strapped: You are considered “strapped” when you are in possession of a fire-arm.
- Usage: “Step off, ’cause I’m fully strapped.”
- Origin: Started off as a term to describe when you have a Mac 10 or some other semi machine gun or uzi on a strap hanging from your shoulder under your clothes.
- Leng: Any type of weapon, i.e a knife or a gun.
Can also be used in the word ‘lengman‘, i.e someone in possession of a weapon or someone who is dangerous.- Usage: “I saw them Hackney boys, so I pulled out my leng and started shooting at them”
- Origin: The term is used mostly among London criminal underground network.
- Hammer: A firearm, usually a pistol.
- Usage: “I pulled the hammer on that guy and gave him a third eye”
- Origin: The hammer is the part of the firearm that strikes the firing pin which in turn hits the primer and ignites the propellant that pushes the slug out of the barrel.
- Burner: Any type of firearm, that has either been previously used in a crime, or has been stolen. You buy them for a very low price, use them once, and then throw them away.
- Usage: “Take this burner for 85 bucks. Nine bodies on it. Leave it or sell it quick.”
- Origin: Likely has its roots in the fact that a firearm can get very hot when fired multiple times.
- Cannon:
- Usage: “He took a hard blow to the face before he could draw his cannon.”
- Origin: Comes from the good old classical cannon.
- Piece: A gun, firearm. Usually hidden under clothing for protection or criminal intentions.
- Usage: “This piece shoots nice, only cost $50.
- Handgun: a gun designed for use by one hand; a pistol.
- Usage: “They drew their handguns simultaneously, both ready to shoot”
- Hardware: One or more guns.
- Usage: ” He’s carrying some serious hardware. “
- Blaster: An unspecified powerful hand weapon, usually one that fires an energy pulse or beam.
- Usage: “The blaster was loaded and ready, presumably aimed at the most unfortunate man in the room.”
- Revolver: A pistol with revolving chambers enabling several shots to be fired without reloading.
- Usage: “The revolver fired, ripping through the air into it’s target”
- Rod: US slang name for pistol.
- Usage: “The rod resembled a sign of freedom, for it’s ability to kill innocents without discussion or discourse.”
- Persuader: A gun or other weapon used to compel submission or obedience.
- Usage: “Silence fell over the congregation, discussion was no longer an option, the persuader had persuaded them.”
That’s it for our list of slang words for “gun”. Did we miss any “gun” synonyms? Please let us know in the form below! 👍😊