gutting

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.

▶verb (guts, gutting, gutted)

• 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.

– origin OE guttas (pl.), prob. rel. to gēotan ‘pour’.