Synonyms

Bren gun

American

[bren] / brɛn /

Or bren gun

noun

a .303-caliber, gas-operated, air-cooled, clip-fed submachine gun.

Bren gun British

/ brɛn /

noun

an air-cooled gas-operated light machine gun taking .303 calibre ammunition: used by British and Commonwealth forces in World War II

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Bren gun

1935–40; Br(no) , Moravia + En ( field ), England, towns of manufacture

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Spur Camp, 2 May 43" provides a stark little companion to the painting, ending: "Not far away, up the line, Bren guns pummel hot air, men gasp and clutch, die casually, sweat and groan.

From The Guardian

Lest you get the wrong idea, the fingers typing this column were, believe it or not, once capable of stripping down and reassembling a Bren gun.

From The Guardian

At night they patrolled the streets in lorries equipped with twin Bren guns.��

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Downing shot out orders, threats, and penalties with the rapidity of a Bren gun.

From Project Gutenberg

To complete the course we hurled a few Mills bombs, fired a Bren gun, marched around a bit and behaved as soldiers were supposed to do and then we returned to our more sedentary duties.��

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023