Quaker gun
A nonfunctional imitation of a gun or an artillery piece, typically made of wood and usually intended to deceive enemy forces into overestimating one's available firepower.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The soldiers used a Quaker gun to trick the enemy.”
“He builds a Quaker gun from wood to scare off the intruders.”
“To protect the fort, the commander placed a Quaker gun on the wall to make the attackers think they were well-defended.”
“The rebel group painted heavy logs to look like cannons, creating a Quaker gun that successfully frightened the approaching scouts away from their camp.”
“Historians found that the old ship carried a Quaker gun because the crew could not afford real weapons to defend against pirates.”
“Lacking actual artillery, the desperate defenders deployed a Quaker gun, hoping the mere silhouette of the log would deter an immediate assault.”
From Quaker + gun, referring to the pacifism associated with practitioners of the Quaker religion. The term originated in the 18th century as a name for wooden logs painted black to resemble cannons, intended to deceive an enemy into believing a fortification was armed when it was, in fact, harmless.
- 01
big gun
A person, group, thing, or course of action that is powerful, influential, or particularly effective.
- 02
eat one's gun
To commit suicide, especially by use of a firearm discharged into the victim's mouth.
- 03
fire the starting gun
To launch or trigger an event or situation.
- 04
give it the gun
To cause a specific vehicle to accelerate; to open the throttle of an engine.
- 05
go great guns
To perform particularly well; to be particularly successful.
- 06
gun jumping
An act or instance of jumping the gun.
- 07
guns blazing
With much force or bravado.
- 08
hired gun
A person who is employed to advance the interests of their employer, especially in a vigorous manner using such methods as political lobbying, legal advocacy, or persuasion.
Last updated August 10, 2026