SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

Lyle gun

noun
Save Word
\ ˈlī(ə)l- \

Definition of Lyle gun

1 : a mounted gun that resembles a small brass cannon and is used to fire a projectile attached to a line of rope to an extreme range of about 700 yards in rescue operations at sea
2 : a firing device that resembles a short shotgun and is used to propel a weight attached to a line of rope in rescue operations at sea or on land (as in firefighting)

— called also line-throwing gun

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for Lyle gun

after David A. Lyle †1937 American officer, U.S. Army, its inventor

Learn More About Lyle gun

Dictionary Entries Near Lyle gun

lykewake

Lyle gun

Lyly

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for Lyle gun

Cite this Entry

“Lyle gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Lyle%20gun. Accessed 2 Jul. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

WORD OF THE DAY

apposite

Listen to the pronunciation of apposite

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Words Named After People

  • name tags
  • Namesake of the leotard, Jules Léotard had what profession?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games