Gunpowder Gun"pow`der noun (Chemistry) A black, granular, explosive substance, consisting of an intimate mechanical mixture of niter, charcoal, and sulphur. It is used in gunnery and blasting.

» Gunpowder consists of from 70 to 80 per cent of niter, with 10 to 15 per cent of each of the other ingredients. Its explosive energy is due to the fact that it contains the necessary amount of oxygen for its own combustion, and liberates gases (chiefly nitrogen and carbon dioxide), which occupy a thousand or fifteen hundred times more space than the powder which generated them.

Gunpowder pile driver , a pile driver, the hammer of which is thrown up by the explosion of gunpowder. -- Gunpowder plot (Eng. Hist.) , a plot to destroy the King, Lords, and Commons, in revenge for the penal laws against Catholics. As Guy Fawkes, the agent of the conspirators, was about to fire the mine, which was placed under the House of Lords, he was seized, Nov. 5, 1605. Hence, Nov. 5 is known in England as Guy Fawkes Day . -- Gunpowder tea , a species of fine green tea, each leaf of which is rolled into a small ball or pellet.

Gunreach Gun"reach` noun The reach or distance to which a gun will shoot; gunshot.

Gunroom Gun"room` noun (Nautical) An apartment on the after end of the lower gun deck of a ship of war, usually occupied as a messroom by the commissioned officers, except the captain; -- called wardroom in the United States navy.

Gunshot Gun"shot` noun 1. Act of firing a gun; a shot.

2. The distance to which shot can be thrown from a gun, so as to be effective; the reach or range of a gun.

Those who are come over to the royal party are supposed to be out of gunshot .

Dryden.

Gunshot Gun"shot` adjective Made by the shot of a gun: as. a gunshot wound.

Gunsmith Gun"smith noun One whose occupation is to make or repair small firearms; an armorer.

Gunsmithery, Gunsmith ing Gunsmith`er·y, Gun"smith` ing noun The art or business of a gunsmith.

Gunstick Gun"stick noun A stick to ram down the charge of a musket, etc.; a rammer or ramrod. [ R.]

Gunstock Gun"stock` noun The stock or wood to which the barrel of a hand gun is fastened.

Gunstome Gun"stome` noun A cannon ball; -- so called because originally made of stone. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Gunter rig Gun"ter rig` (Nautical) A topmast arranged with metal bands so that it will readily slide up and down the lower mast.

Gunter's chain Gun"ter's chain` (Surveying) The chain ordinarily used in measuring land. See Chain , noun , 4, and Gunter's scale .

Gunter's line Gun"ter's line` A logarithmic line on Gunter's scale, used for performing the multiplication and division of numbers mechanically by the dividers; -- called also line of lines , and line of numbers .

Gunter's quadrant Gun"ter's quad`rant A thin quadrant, made of brass, wood, etc., showing a stereographic projection on the plane of the equator. By it are found the hour of the day, the sun's azimuth, the altitude of objects in degrees, etc. See Gunter's scale .

Gunter's scale Gun"ter's scale` A scale invented by the Rev. Edmund Gunter (1581-1626), a professor of astronomy at Gresham College, London, who invented also Gunter's chain , and Gunter's quadrant .

» Gunter's scale is a wooden rule, two feet long, on one side of which are marked scales of equal parts, of chords, sines, tangents, rhombs, etc., and on the other side scales of logarithms of these various parts, by means of which many problems in surveying and navigation may be solved, mechanically, by the aid of dividers alone.

Gunwale Gun"wale noun [ Gun + wale . So named because the upper guns were pointed from it.] (Nautical) The upper edge of a vessel's or boat's side; the uppermost wale of a ship (not including the bulwarks); or that piece of timber which reaches on either side from the quarter-deck to the forecastle, being the uppermost bend, which finishes the upper works of the hull. [ Written also gunnel .]

Gurge Gurge (gūrj) noun [ Latin gurges .] A whirlpool. [ Obsolete]

The plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge
Boils out from under ground.

Milton.

Gurge Gurge transitive verb [ See Gorge .] To swallow up. [ Obsolete]

Gurgeons Gur"geons noun plural [ Obsolete] See Grudgeons .

Gurgle Gur"gle intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Gurgled ; present participle & verbal noun Gurgling .] [ Confer Italian gorgogliare to gargle, bubble up, from Latin gurgulio gullet. Confer Gargle , Gorge .] To run or flow in a broken, irregular, noisy current, as water from a bottle, or a small stream among pebbles or stones.

Pure gurgling rills the lonely desert trace,
And waste their music on the savage race.

Young.

Gurgle Gur"gle noun The act of gurgling; a broken, bubbling noise. "Tinkling gurgles ." W. Thompson.

Gurglet Gur"glet noun [ See Goglet .] A porous earthen jar for cooling water by evaporation.

Gurglingly Gur"gling·ly` adverb In a gurgling manner.

Gurgoyle Gur"goyle noun See Gargoyle .

Gurjun Gur"jun noun A thin balsam or wood oil derived from the Diptcrocarpus lęvis , an East Indian tree. It is used in medicine, and as a substitute for linseed oil in the coarser kinds of paint.

Gurl Gurl noun A young person of either sex. [ Obsolete] See Girl . Chaucer.

Gurlet Gur"let noun (Masonry) A pickax with one sharp point and one cutting edge. Knight.

Gurmy Gur"my noun (Mining) A level; a working.

Gurnard, Gurnet Gur"nard, Gur"net noun [ Old French gornal , gournal , gornart , perhaps akin to French grogner to grunt ; confer Ir. guirnead gurnard.] (Zoology) One ofseveral European marine fishes, of the genus Trigla and allied genera, having a large and spiny head, with mailed cheeks. Some of the species are highly esteemed for food. The name is sometimes applied to the American sea robins. [ Written also gournet .]

Plyling gurnard . See under Flying .

Gurniad Gur"ni·ad noun (Zoology) See Gwiniad .

Gurry Gur"ry noun An alvine evacuation; also, refuse matter. [ Obsolete or Local] Holland.

Gurry Gur"ry` noun [ Hind. garhī .] A small fort. [ India]

Gurt Gurt (gūrt) noun (Mining) A gutter or channel for water, hewn out of the bottom of a working drift. Page.

Gurts Gurts (gūrts) noun plural [ Confer Grout .] Groats. [ Obsolete]

Gush Gush (gŭsh) intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Gushed (gŭsht); present participle & verbal noun Gushing .] [ Middle English guschen , confer Icelandic gusa and gjsa , also Dutch gucsen ; perhaps akin to Anglo-Saxon geótan to pour, German giessen , Goth. giutan , English gut . Confer Found to cast.]

1. To issue with violence and rapidity, as a fluid; to rush forth as a fluid from confinement; to flow copiously.

He smote the rock that the waters gushed out.

Ps ixxviii 20.

A sea of blood gushed from the gaping wound.

Spenser.

2. To make a sentimental or untimely exhibition of affection; to display enthusiasm in a silly, demonstrative manner. [ Colloq.]

Gush Gush transitive verb 1. A sudden and violent issue of a fluid from an inclosed plase; an emission of a liquid in a large quantity, and with force; the fluid thus emitted; a rapid outpouring of anything; as, a gush of song from a bird.

The gush of springs,
An fall of lofty foundains.

Byron.

2. A sentimental exhibition of affection or enthusiasm, etc.; effusive display of sentiment. [ Collog.]

Gusher Gush"er noun One who gushes. [ Colloq.]

Gushing Gush"ing adjective 1. Rushing forth with violence, as a fluid; flowing copiously; as, gushing waters. " Gushing blood." Milton.

2. Emitting copiously, as tears or words; weakly and unreservedly demonstrative in matters of affection; sentimental. [ Colloq.]

Gushingly Gush"ing·ly adverb 1. In a gushing manner; copiously. Byron.

2. Weakly; sentimentally; effusively. [ Colloq.]

Gusset Gus"set noun [ French gousset armpit, fob, gusset , dim. of gousse pod, husk; confer Italian guscio shell, or W. cwysed gore, gusset.] 1. A small piece of cloth inserted in a garment, for the purpose of strengthening some part or giving it a tapering enlargement.

Seam and gusset and band.

Hood.

2. Anything resembling a gusset in a garment ; as: (a) (Armor) A small piece of chain mail at the openings of the joints beneath the arms. (b) (Machinery) A kind of bracket, or angular piece of iron, fastened in the angles of a structure to give strength or stiffness; esp., the part joining the barrel and the fire box of a locomotive boiler.

3. (Her.) An abatement or mark of dishonor in a coat of arms, resembling a gusset.

Gust Gust (gust) noun [ Icelandic gustr a cool breeze. Confer Gush .] 1. A sudden squall; a violent blast of wind; a sudden and brief rushing or driving of the wind.

Snow, and hail, stormy gust and flaw.

Milton.

2. A sudden violent burst of passion. Bacon.

Gust Gust noun [ Latin gustus ; confer Italian & Spanish gusto . √46.]

1. The sense or pleasure of tasting; relish; gusto.

An ox will relish the tender flesh of kids with as much gust and appetite.

Jer. Taylor.

2. Gratification of any kind, particularly that which is exquisitely relished; enjoyment.

Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust.

Pope.

3. Intellectual taste; fancy.

A choice of it may be made according to the gust and manner of the ancients.

Dryden.

Gust Gust transitive verb [ Confer Latin gustare , Italian gustare , Spanish gustar . See GUST a relish.] To taste; to have a relish for. [ Obsolete]

Gustable Gust"a·ble adjective [ See Gust , v. ] [ Obsolete] 1. Capable of being tasted; tastable.

This position informs us of a vulgar error, terming the gall
bitter; whereas there is nothing gustable sweeter.

Harvey.

2. Pleasant to the taste; toothsome; savory.

A gustable thing, seen or smelt, excites the appetite, and affects the glands and parts of the mouth.

Derham.

Gustable Gust"a·ble noun Anything that can be tasted. [ Obsolete]

Gustard Gus"tard noun (Zoology) The great bustard.

Gustation Gus·ta"tion noun [ Latin gustatio : confer French gustation .] The act of tasting. [ R.] Sir T. Browne.

Gustatory Gust"a·to·ry adjective Pertaining to, or subservient to, the sense of taste; as, the gustatory nerve which supplies the front of the tongue.

Gustful Gust"ful adjective Tasteful; well- tasted. [ Obsolete] Sir K. Digby. -- Gust"ful*ness , noun [ Obsolete] Barrow.

Gustful Gust"ful adjective Gusty. [ R.]

A gustful April morn.

Tennyson.

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