under the gun

/ˌʌn.dɚ ðə ɡʌn/
phrase★Intermediate— under pressure to perform quickly◆idiom
◆ What It Really Means
Feeling intense pressure to act quickly due to an impending deadline or urgent requirement.
Literal Meaning
Physically positioned below a firearm, implying imminent danger.
Literal Breakdown
underin a position lower than or below+the guna firearm
◇ Mental Image
Imagine someone being forced to act quickly because they are metaphorically 'held at gunpoint'—failure to comply could have serious consequences.
◈ When to Use
A marketing team works late into the night because their client is arriving the next morning to review a campaign they've been preparing for weeks.
◉ Cultural Note
The phrase reflects the cultural emphasis on productivity and meeting deadlines in Western workplaces, where time pressure is often compared to physical threat metaphors.
informal

under pressure to perform quickly or meet a deadline

With the client visiting tomorrow, we're really under the gun to finalize the report.

We feel intense pressure to complete the report before the client arrives.

The manager put the sales team under the gun to hit their quarterly targets.

The manager pressured the sales team to meet their sales goals quickly.

💡

Commonly used in workplace or competitive contexts to describe time-sensitive stress.

Collocations

under the gun to do somethingfeeling pressured to complete a task quicklyput someone under the gunto pressure someone to act quickly

Related Phrases

up against the wallidiom
facing severe difficulty or pressure
on the spotphrase
in a situation requiring immediate action or response
deadlineword
the latest time or date by which something must be completed

💡Pro Tip

When to use 'under the gun'

Use this idiom when describing situations where someone feels intense pressure to meet a deadline or complete a task quickly. It’s common in workplaces, sports, or competitive environments.

⚡Gold Rule

Avoid literal interpretation

Do not confuse this idiom with its literal meaning of being physically threatened by a gun. The phrase is purely figurative in modern usage.

📖Word Origin

The phrase likely originates from the literal image of someone being threatened with a gun, implying immediate and urgent action. The figurative use emerged in the early-to-mid 20th century, particularly in military and business contexts where deadlines and performance pressures were likened to being 'held at gunpoint.'

📝Usage Notes

This idiom is informal and should be avoided in highly formal or legal writing. It conveys a sense of urgency and stress, often implying that failure to act quickly could lead to negative consequences.

Word Breakdown

under
in a state of
preposition
+
the gun
implied pressure or threat
noun phrase
English Dictionary