big gun

Definitions

1. 1

   A large artillery gun or one of the largest-caliber naval guns (as on a battleship).

   • London, Nov. 1: The big guns opened fire on Paris today at mid-day.
   • The smaller crew was possible because the battleship was stripped of all but her big guns.
   • The USS West Virginia became one of many symbols of American resolve. . . . Her big guns pounded the enemy at the battles of Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
2. 2

   A person, group, thing, or course of action that is powerful, influential, or…

   A person, group, thing, or course of action that is powerful, influential, or particularly effective.

   • This has been a great day for the big guns. This does not refer to Prof. Lummis and the other big guns of the Board of Visitors, for every day is a great one for them.
   • Berra Is Big Gun In Yankee Victory
   • And the administration's big guns — Bush, Cheney, Powell and once-and-current Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld — had the clout to make bold and necessary changes.
3. 3

   A large surfboard used to ride very large, powerful waves.

   • Special boards are used called "big guns."

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