ENGLISH
REFERENCE

guts

n. · v.
US //ˈɡəts// UK //ɡˈʌts// guts
  1. 1 courage (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    the bravery and determination you need to do something difficult or scary.

    metaphorical courage, fortitude, or spirit. Almost exclusively used in the plural.

    Example

    It took a lot of guts to tell his boss that he was quitting.

    Example

    The young entrepreneur showed real guts by investing her entire life savings into a technology that most experts claimed would fail.

    Usage

    Usually follows the verb 'have' or 'take'.
  2. 2 internal organs (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    the organs inside the body, especially the stomach and intestines.

    the visceral organs or entrails of a human or animal. Plural in form.

    Example

    The doctor said the infection was deep in the patient's guts.

    Example

    The biology students were tasked with identifying the various parts of the fish's guts during the afternoon dissection lab.
Show 3 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 inner workings (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    the internal parts of a machine or a complex system.

    the essential internal mechanisms or components of a device or organization.

    Example

    He opened up the old radio to see if he could fix its guts.

    Example

    Before you can optimize the software, you need to understand the guts of the operating system and how it manages memory.
  2. 4 instinct (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    your deepest feelings or a strong feeling that something is true.

    one's innermost feelings or intuitive responses to a situation.

    Example

    I hate to say it, but my guts tell me we shouldn't trust him.

    Example

    Despite the logical arguments presented by the board, his guts suggested that the merger would eventually lead to a cultural disaster for the firm.
  3. 5 to endure (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Informal

    to work through a very difficult situation with a lot of effort.

    to manifest determination or endurance, particularly in the phrasal verb 'guts out'.

    Example

    The runner was exhausted but managed to guts out the final mile.

    Example

    The team had to guts out a win in the final minutes of the game despite being two players down due to injuries.

    Usage

    Commonly used as the phrasal verb 'guts out' with a direct object.
Word family
Idioms5 entries

© 2026 English Reference