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Quaker gun

(idiomatic, chiefly, US, weaponry, historical) A nonfunctional imitation of a gun or an artillery piece, typically made of wood and usually intended to deceive enemy forces into overestimating one's a

ˌkweɪkə ˈɡʌnDocumented since 1860sSilenthistorical120 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Born ~1862 · no dated citations yet
1862BornToday, 2026

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#1·Apr 27, 2026

(idiomatic, chiefly, US, weaponry, historical) A nonfunctional imitation of a gun or an artillery piece, typically made of wood and usually intended to deceive enemy forces into overestimating one's available firepower.

Origin: [[File:Quaker Gun2.jpg|thumb|A Quaker gun near Centreville, Virginia, U.S.A., in March 1862, after the Confederate withdrawal during the American Civil War (1861–1865). A man is pretending to fire the cannon using a stick as a linstock.]] From , referring to the pacifism associated with practitioners of the Quaker religion. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"Quaker gun" means: A nonfunctional imitation of a gun or an artillery piece, typically made of wood and usually intended to deceive enemy forces into overestim.... It carries a violent or aggressive reference, so it is worth noting the context. In most cases the word is used jokingly or for emphasis rather than as a sign of real intent. A calm question about where it was heard is usually all that is needed; pay more attention to behaviour and tone than to the word itself.

For ESL learners

"Quaker gun" means: A nonfunctional imitation of a gun or an artillery piece, typically made of wood and usually intended to deceive enemy forces into overestim.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (US) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a

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For specific readers

"Quaker gun" means: A nonfunctional imitation of a gun or an artillery piece, typically made of wood and usually intended to deceive enemy forces into overestim.... It carries a violent or aggressive reference, so it is worth noting the context. In most cases the word is used jokingly or for emphasis rather than as a sign of real intent. A calm question about where it was heard is usually all that is needed; pay more attention to behaviour and tone than to the word itself.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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