gunfight
Exchange of bullets
A gunfight is a battle or confrontation in which the participants shoot guns at each other.
The word evokes the Old West—two men facing off in a dusty street—but applies to any exchange of gunfire: The robbery turned into a gunfight with police.
A gunfighter is someone skilled in such confrontations.
Armed confrontation or tiebreaker
- quickdrawRapid weapon retrieval
- six-shooterRevolver holding six rounds
- revolverPistol with rotating chamber
- saloonDrinking establishment, often frontier
outlaw · sheriff · posse · frontier · bandit · desperado · bounty hunter · holster
Stretched or strained state
- adrenalineEmergency response hormone
- heart-poundingCausing intense physical excitement
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
showdown · draw · trigger · aim · nerve · split-second · reflex · anticipation
Exchange of gunfire
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- assaultViolent offensive act
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- crossfireGunfire from several angles
artillery · barrage · tactics · infantry · guerrilla · soldiers · military · warfare
Multiparty armed deadlock
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- face-offDirect clash between opponents
- impasseSituation without resolution
- deadlockMutual blocking, no progress
stalemate · tension · negotiation · hostage · barricade · siege · brinkmanship · escalation
shootout
Armed confrontation or tiebreaker
- quickdrawRapid weapon retrieval
- six-shooterRevolver holding six rounds
- revolverPistol with rotating chamber
saloon · outlaw · sheriff · posse · frontier · bandit · desperado · bounty hunter · holster · Winchester
tension
Stretched or strained state
- adrenalineEmergency response hormone
- heart-poundingCausing intense physical excitement
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
suspense · showdown · draw · trigger · aim · nerve · split-second · reflex · anticipation · bated breath
firefight
Exchange of gunfire
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- assaultViolent offensive act
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
crossfire · artillery · barrage · tactics · infantry · guerrilla · soldiers · military · warfare · skirmish
Mexican standoff
Multiparty armed deadlock
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- face-offDirect clash between opponents
- impasseSituation without resolution
deadlock · stalemate · tension · negotiation · hostage · barricade · siege · brinkmanship · escalation · ultimatum
bloodshed
Killing and wounding
- casualtiesThose killed or wounded
- deathCessation of life
- gunfireDischarge of weapons
bullet · wound · kill · chaos · mayhem · destruction · danger · injury · fatality · carnage
pistols
Small one-handed firearms
- secondsTime units, or extras
- honorHigh regard, moral dignity
- satisfactionState of fulfilled desires
challenge · duelist · paces · flintlock · affair of honor · code · formality · ritual · insult · retaliation
- Old Westcowboy, cowboys, cowgirl, sheriff, sheriffs
- cop filmsBeverly Hills Cop, Lethal Weapon, Hot Fuzz, RoboCop, Dirty Harry
- duelsduel, sword duel, pistol duel, one-on-one, mano a mano
- frontier violencecavalry charge, wagon train attack, shootout, cavalry raid, raid
- Westernscowboys, western, outlaws, sheriffs, western novels
- action filmschase scene, car chase, explosion, stunt, shootout
gunfightfistfight
Hand-to-hand combat
hand-to-hand combat · unarmed combat · knife fight · melee · wrestling match
gunfightpeace talks
Formal conflict-resolution discussions
ceasefire · negotiation · truce · armistice · diplomacy
gunfightembrace
Hold closely in arms
handshake · cooperation · alliance · collaboration · friendship
- bring a knife to a gunfightArrive fatally underprepared
- bringing a knife to a gunfightDisastrously underprepared for confrontation
- brought a knife to a gunfightDisastrously underprepared for conflict
- take a knife to a gunfightArrive fatally underprepared