— gutlike , adj.
/gut/ , n. , v. , gutted, gutting , adj.
n.
1. the alimentary canal, esp. between the pylorus and the anus, or some portion of it. Cf. foregut, midgut, hindgut .
2. guts ,
a. the bowels or entrails.
b. Informal. courage and fortitude; nerve; determination; stamina: Climbing that cliff takes a lot of guts.
c. the inner working parts of a machine or device: The mechanic had the guts of the refrigerator laid out on the kitchen floor.
3. the belly; stomach; abdomen.
4. the substance forming the case of the intestine; intestinal tissue or fiber: sheep's gut.
5. a preparation of the intestines of an animal, used for various purposes, as for violin strings, tennis rackets, or fishing lines.
6. the silken substance taken from a silkworm killed when about to spin its cocoon, used in making snells for fishhooks.
7. a narrow passage, as a channel of water or a defile between hills.
8. Slang. a gut course.
9. spill one's guts , Slang. to tell all; lay oneself bare: the famous star spills his guts in his autobiography.
v.t.
10. to take out the guts or entrails of; disembowel.
11. to destroy the interior of: Fire gutted the building.
12. to plunder (a house, city, etc.) of contents: Invaders gutted the village.
13. to remove the vital or essential parts from: The prisoner's letters were gutted by heavy censorship.
adj.
14. Informal.
a. basic or essential: to discuss the gut issues.
b. based on instincts or emotions: a gut reaction; gut decisions.
[ bef. 1000; ME gut, guttes (pl.), OE guttas (pl.), akin to geotan to pour ]
Syn. 2b . pluck.