n. & v.
--n.
1. the lower alimentary canal or a part of this; the intestine.
2 (in pl.) the bowel or entrails, esp. of animals.
3 (in pl.) colloq. personal courage and determination; vigorous application and perseverance.
4 (in pl.) colloq. the belly as the source of appetite.
5 (in pl.) a the contents of anything, esp. representing substantiality. b the essence of a thing, e.g. of an issue or problem.
6 a material for violin or racket strings or surgical use made from the intestines of animals. b material for fishing-lines made from the silk-glands of silkworms.
7 a a narrow water-passage; a sound, straits. b a defile or narrow passage.
8 (attrib.) a instinctive (a gut reaction). b fundamental (a gut issue).
--v.tr. (gutted, gutting)
1. remove or destroy (esp. by fire) the internal fittings of (a house etc.).
2 take out the guts of (a fish).
3 extract the essence of (a book etc.).
Phrases and idioms:
gut-rot colloq.
1. rot-gut.
2 a stomach upset. hate a person's guts colloq. dislike a person intensely. sweat (or work) one's guts out colloq. work extremely hard.
Etymology: OE guttas (pl.), prob. rel. to geotan pour