gut
1 Americannoun
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the alimentary canal, especially between the pylorus and the anus, or some portion of it.
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guts,
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bowels or entrails.
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Informal. courage and fortitude; nerve; determination; stamina.
Climbing that cliff takes a lot of guts.
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the inner working parts of a machine or device.
The mechanic had the guts of the refrigerator laid out on the kitchen floor.
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the belly; stomach; abdomen.
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the substance forming the case of the intestine; intestinal tissue or fiber.
sheep's gut.
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a preparation of the intestines of an animal, used for various purposes, as for violin strings, tennis rackets, or fishing lines.
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the silken substance taken from a silkworm killed when about to spin its cocoon, used in making snells for fishhooks.
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a narrow passage, as a channel of water or a defile between hills.
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Slang. Also gut course snap course.
verb (used with object)
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to take out the guts or entrails of; disembowel.
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to destroy the interior of.
Fire gutted the building.
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to plunder (a house, city, etc.) of contents.
Invaders gutted the village.
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to remove the vital or essential parts from.
The prisoner's letters were gutted by heavy censorship.
adjective
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Informal.
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basic or essential.
to discuss the gut issues.
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based on instincts or emotions.
a gut reaction; gut decisions.
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idioms
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spill one's guts, to tell all; lay oneself bare; confess everything.
The celebrity chef spills his guts in his autobiography.
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grand unification theory.
noun
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the lower part of the alimentary canal; intestine
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the entire alimentary canal
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(often plural) the bowels or entrails, esp of an animal
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slang the belly; paunch
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See catgut
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a silky fibrous substance extracted from silkworms, used in the manufacture of fishing tackle
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a narrow channel or passage
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informal (plural) courage, willpower, or daring; forcefulness
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informal (plural) the essential part
the guts of a problem
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informal to make an intense effort
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informal to be extremely angry with someone
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informal to dislike a person very strongly
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informal to work very hard
verb
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to remove the entrails from (fish, etc)
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(esp of fire) to destroy the inside of (a building)
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to plunder; despoil
the raiders gutted the city
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to take out the central points of (an article), esp in summary form
adjective
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informal arising from or characterized by what is basic, essential, or natural
a gut problem
a gut reaction
acronym
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grand unified theory
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The intestine of a vertebrate animal.
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The alimentary canal of an invertebrate animal.
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The tube in a vertebrate embryo that later develops into the alimentary canal, lungs, and liver.
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Abbreviation of grand unified theory See unified field theory
More idioms and phrases containing gut
Other Word Forms
- gutlike adjective
- ungutted adjective
Etymology
Origin of gut
First recorded before 1000; Middle English gut, guttes (plural), Old English guttas (plural), akin to gēotan “to pour”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If, say, you’ve had a stomach ulcer, the bot would recommend a painkiller that’s easy on the gut.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
After awakening, the biome’s newly cultivated gut flora will respond to your neurological directive, allowing you to ultimately control when — and where — your wind breaks.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
A simple “Substance”-eque sequence of probiotics triggers a relaxing unconscious state, regenerating a utopian gut biome in a short six to eight weeks.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
"The gut is essentially waiting to confirm that the threat is real and persistent before it tells the brain to change your behavior."
From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026
I had ignored the gut feeling, the pinprick sensation, the secretary’s glance.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
