gunfire
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the sound or action of guns being fired.
the discharge of firearms, specifically the repeated firing of guns in a military or criminal context.
Simple“The sound of distant gunfire kept the residents awake all night.”
In context“The sudden burst of heavy gunfire from the ridge forced the advancing infantry to seek immediate cover behind the stone walls.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
a cup of tea served very early in the morning, especially in the army.
a cup of tea served to soldiers before the first morning parade.
Simple“The sergeant woke the men up with a hot cup of gunfire before the drill.”
In context“In the traditional British Army mess, 'gunfire' refers to the early morning tea served to soldiers in their barracks before the day's duties begin.”
UsageUsually uncountable and used within a specific military subculture.
Teacher's tipThis is a very niche British military term; most modern speakers will only know the 'shooting' sense.
“We were on private Palestinian land.” A few minutes after they started work, the group heard gunfire from the settler outpost and were forced to take cover.”
From gun + fire.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.