Phrase guide

put a gun to someone's head

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To compel someone (to do something); to create a situation in which someone has no alternative course of action.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: het mes op de keel zetten — Translations
  • Finnish: laittaa ase jonkun ohimolle — Translations
  • French: mettre le couteau sous la gorge — Translations
  • German: das Messer an die Kehle setzen — Translations
  • Polish: przystawiać broń do skroni — Translations
  • Polish: przystawić broń do skroni — Translations
  • Polish: stawiać pod ścianą — Translations
  • Polish: postawić pod ścianą — Translations