gun down:用枪射击并杀死或击倒(常带有“迅速、猛烈、近距离或毫不留情”的语感);也可泛指在战斗/犯罪场景中“开枪扫倒”。(也常见变形:gunned down)
/ˌɡʌn ˈdaʊn/
The suspect was gunned down by the police.
嫌疑人被警方开枪击毙。
Witnesses said the victims were gunned down as they tried to flee, and the attack left the community in shock.
目击者称受害者在试图逃跑时遭到开枪扫射,袭击事件让整个社区震惊不已。
由 gun(枪)+ down(向下、倒地/被击倒) 组成的动词短语。这里的 down 带有“使倒下、使失去行动能力”的含义,因此整体表达“用枪把人打倒/打死”。该说法在英语新闻报道与犯罪题材叙述中尤其常见。