gun down

gun down

1. To shoot and kill someone with a firearm. A noun or pronoun can be used between "gun" and "down." You just gunned down an innocent man, and you're going to pay! We need to make a change before one more innocent person gets gunned down.
2. To shoot something with bullets so that it falls to the ground. A noun or pronoun can be used between "gun" and "down." Security forces gunned down a helicopter attempting to attack the airport.
See also: down, gun
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

gun someone (or an animal) down

Lit. to shoot someone or an animal. Max tried to gun a policeman down. The cop tried to gun down the rabid dog.
See also: down, gun
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

gun down

v.
1. To cause something to collapse or fall by striking it with bullets, missiles, or some other projectile; shoot down something: The marines gunned down the attacking airplanes. The soldiers gunned the enemy down.
2. To kill or incapacitate someone by shooting: They stormed into the hideout and gunned down all the soldiers there. The assassin tracked down the politicians and gunned them down.
See also: down, gun
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • ask down
  • call down
  • chow down
  • chow something down
  • bear down
  • clean down
  • clunk
  • clunk down
  • batter
  • batter down
References in periodicals archive
WE'RE HERE TO GUN DOWN THE TOWN, BURN THE MEN ND CARRY OFF THE WIMMENFOLK.
WE S'POSED TO CARRY OFF THE TOWN, GUN DOWN THE MEN AND BURN--