guts
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
gut/ɡʌt/
▶noun
- 1 the stomach or belly.
■ Medicine & Biology the intestine.
■ (guts) entrails that have been removed or exposed.
■ fibre from the intestines of animals, used especially for violin or racket strings.
- 2 (guts) the internal parts or essence of something.
- 3 (guts) informal used in names attributing negative characteristics: greedy guts.
- 4 (guts) informal courage and determination.
- 5 [as modifier] informal (of a feeling or reaction) instinctive.
- 6 a narrow passage or strait.
- 1 remove the internal organs of (a fish or other animal) before cooking.
- 2 remove or destroy the internal parts of (a structure).
– phrases
bust a gut informal make a strenuous effort.
hate someone's guts informal dislike someone intensely.
have someone's guts for garters Brit. humorous used as a threat of punishment.
sweat (or work) one's guts out informal work extremely hard.
bust a gut informal make a strenuous effort.
hate someone's guts informal dislike someone intensely.
have someone's guts for garters Brit. humorous used as a threat of punishment.
sweat (or work) one's guts out informal work extremely hard.
– origin OE guttas (pl.), prob. rel. to gēotan ‘pour’.
'guts' also found in these Oxford entries:
