gun the engine

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "gun the engine" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in the context of driving or operating a vehicle, meaning to accelerate quickly or rev the engine. Example: "As the light turned green, he gunned the engine and sped off down the street."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

She grabbed a passerby, who helped her gun the engine.

The New Yorker

But it will have to gun the engine to catch up to Lexus: The Toyota Motor unit introduced a hybrid version of its 2006 RX 400h in April (see: ).

Forbes

They gun the engine and pray it makes the 15 minute journey.

FAO

If you gun the engine too early or late you'll get thrown off the ATV.

WikiHow

If the conditions are still safe for passing, accelerate quickly and smoothly after you move completely into the other lane, do not gun the engine.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Boeing issued new instructions to airlines using similar 777s, telling pilots to gun the engines briefly to flush out fuel-line ice that may be forming.

The New York Times

Jack Welch, head of General Electric, Bob Wright, head of NBC, and John Akers, former chief of IBM these are not the people who give you the finger in the snarled parking lot of Stop & Shop, or gun the engines of their Range Rovers at old ladies tottering across the cobblestones.

Forbes

Wes gunned the engine.

The New Yorker

The Dungeon Master guns the engine.

The New Yorker

"Righteo, then," he said, and gunned the engine.

The New Yorker

The driver gunned the engine and off we went.

The Guardian - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "gun the engine" to vividly describe a sudden burst of acceleration. It adds a sense of immediacy and power to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "gun the engine" when describing slow, gradual acceleration. This phrase implies a forceful, sudden increase in speed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "gun the engine" functions as a verb phrase. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is usable in written English. It typically describes the action of rapidly accelerating a vehicle.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Science

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "gun the engine" is a grammatically correct and readily understandable verb phrase that is used to describe the act of quickly accelerating a vehicle. While the phrase is confirmed by Ludwig AI to be usable in various contexts, it is most frequently found in News & Media sources. Semantically related alternatives include "rev the engine" and "accelerate rapidly". When using the phrase, keep in mind that it implies sudden and forceful acceleration, and should be used appropriately in the given context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rev the engine

Replaces "gun" with "rev", focusing on the sound and action of increasing engine speed.

accelerate rapidly

Replaces the idiomatic expression with a more literal description of increasing speed quickly.

step on the gas

A common idiom that means to accelerate.

floor the accelerator

Emphasizes pushing the accelerator pedal to the maximum extent.

put the pedal to the metal

An idiom indicating forceful acceleration.

increase the throttle

A more technical term, applicable to vehicles beyond just cars.

speed up quickly

A simple and direct way to express the idea of increasing speed.

give it gas

Informal way of asking someone to accelerate.

punch it

Very informal, meaning to accelerate quickly.

open up the throttle

Another way to say pressing on the accelerator.

FAQs

What does "gun the engine" mean?

The phrase "gun the engine" means to rapidly accelerate a vehicle by pressing down hard on the accelerator.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "gun the engine"?

It's appropriate when you want to describe a quick and forceful acceleration, such as when starting quickly after a stop or passing another vehicle.

What are some alternatives to saying "gun the engine"?

Alternatives include "rev the engine", "accelerate rapidly", or "step on the gas", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to say "gunned the engine"?

Yes, "gunned the engine" is the past tense form of the phrase and is perfectly acceptable when describing an action that occurred in the past. For example, "He "gunned the engine" and sped away".