Definition

1. Noun:
   • A large-caliber gun mounted on a warship: A "naval gun" is a major piece of naval artillery designed for use on ships, primarily for engaging other vessels, bombarding land targets, or providing anti-aircraft defense.

Usage

• The term "naval gun" specifically refers to the weapon system itself, which includes the gun barrel, breech, and mounting apparatus, as it is installed on a naval vessel.
• It is used to describe such weapons in historical and modern contexts, from the cannons of sailing ships to the advanced artillery of contemporary warships.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The battleship's primary armament consisted of nine massive 16-inch naval guns.
  • Conservators are restoring a historic naval gun from a World War II destroyer.

Advanced Usage

• "Naval gunfire support (NGFS)": A military term for the use of naval guns to provide fire support for ground forces operating near coastlines.
  • The Marines called for naval gunfire support to suppress the enemy position.

Variants and Related Words

• Naval artillery (n): The broader category of projectile-firing weapons used by a navy, which includes naval guns.
• Deck gun (n): A naval gun mounted on the deck of a ship, often used as a secondary weapon or on submarines.
• Turret (n): The armored housing that protects and allows for the rotation of one or more large naval guns.

Synonyms

• Ship's gun: A direct synonym emphasizing the location of the weapon.
• Naval cannon: Often used, particularly in historical contexts, to describe large, smoothbore naval guns.

Related Phrases

• "To run out the guns": A historical naval phrase meaning to prepare the naval guns for battle by rolling them out through the ship's gunports.
• "Broadside": The simultaneous firing of all the naval guns on one side of a warship.

Noun

1. naval weaponry consisting of a large gun carried on a warship