lewis gun

A soldier carries a Lewis gun across a field.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of light machine gun: "Lewis gun" refers to a specific model of air-cooled, gas-operated light machine gun, widely used by British and Commonwealth forces during World War I and World War II. It is characterized by its distinctive pan-shaped magazine mounted on top of the barrel.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The soldier carried a lewis gun for suppressive fire during the assault. (A light machine gun used to provide covering fire.)
  • The lewis gun was known for its reliability in muddy trench conditions. (The weapon performed well even in difficult environments.)

Advanced Usage

• "to fire a lewis gun": to operate and shoot this specific weapon.

  • The crew took turns firing the lewis gun at enemy positions. (Each member operated the machine gun in rotation.)

• "the lewis gun's pan magazine": the distinctive circular ammunition container.

  • The lewis gun's pan magazine held 47 or 97 rounds, depending on the model. (The magazine capacity varied by version.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lewis gunner (n): a soldier trained to operate the Lewis gun.

  • The lewis gunner scanned the horizon for targets. (The machine gun operator watched for enemies.)

• Lewis gun mount (n): a tripod or vehicle bracket used to stabilize the weapon.

  • The aircraft carried a lewis gun mount for defensive purposes. (The plane had a fixed position for the gun.)

Synonyms

• Machine gun: a general term for automatic firearms.
• Light machine gun: a category of portable automatic weapons, of which the Lewis gun is a specific example.

Related Idioms

• "a lewis gun in the trenches": a phrase evoking World War I imagery of infantry support.
  • He spoke of the lewis gun in the trenches as a game-changer. (He described its impact on battlefield tactics.)

Note: The Lewis gun is a proper noun (named after its inventor, Isaac Newton Lewis), so it does not have phrasal verbs or compound idioms.