guts
guts — verb
- gutspresent simple I / you / we / they
- gutses3rd person singular
- gutsing-ing form
- gutsedpast simple
1. to take out the inner organs of a fish, bird, or other animal before cooking or
to take out the inner organs of a fish, bird, or other animal before cooking or preparing it
Linh learned how to gut a fish during her first summer at the lake.
collocation: gut + fish / chicken / duck
Before roasting the chicken, you need to gut it and rinse the cavity.
The fisherman gutted the trout he caught and threw the scraps to the cats.
Jabari gutted the duck his uncle had brought from the farm that morning.
The chef showed the new cook how to gut a mackerel in under a minute.
文法句型
gut + animal/fish
用法筆記
Object is always an animal, fish, or bird. Frequently used in cooking and hunting contexts.
常見錯誤
2. to remove the most important sections from a book, report, or written work, leav
to remove the most important sections from a book, report, or written work, leaving only a shortened version
The editor gutted the two-hundred-page speech and kept only the main points.
transitive: gut + speech / report / book
Kasia gutted the long research paper for the key findings she needed.
The original novel was gutted by the publisher to make a school edition.
Mayumi gutted the manual and turned the instructions into a single page.
Owen gutted the long government report for the budget numbers only.
文法句型
gut + document/report/book
用法筆記
Often used in the passive voice ('was gutted'). Object is a written work — book, report, speech, article. Distinguish from sense 1 (which applies to animals/fish).
常見錯誤
3. to ruin the inner contents of a building, vehicle, or similar structure, leaving
to ruin the inner contents of a building, vehicle, or similar structure, leaving the outer shell or frame still standing
A fire gutted the old factory on Maple Street late last night.
collocation: fire + gut + building
The earthquake gutted the school, leaving only the outer walls standing.
An explosion gutted the delivery truck, but the driver walked away unhurt.
Tamar returned home to find that the storm had gutted her beach house.
A chemical leak gutted the laboratory, ruining years of research samples.
文法句型
fire/explosion + gut + building/vehicle
用法筆記
Subject is typically a destructive force (fire, explosion, earthquake, storm). The shell or framework stays standing; only the contents and inner structure are destroyed.
常見錯誤
4. to remove or weaken the most important parts of a plan, argument, law, or organi
to remove or weaken the most important parts of a plan, argument, law, or organization so that it loses its strength or purpose
The new budget cuts gutted the school's music and art programmes completely.
collocation: budget cuts + gut + programme / service
Faisal's criticism gutted the main argument of the proposal.
The environmental bill was gutted by the committee before the final vote.
Staff shortages have gutted the hospital's emergency services this winter.
Hyun felt the new version of the law had gutted its original purpose entirely.
- bolster
implies active support added, not just a reversal
文法句型
gut + plan/argument/organisation
用法筆記
Object is abstract — a plan, law, policy, argument, or organisation. Often used in political or business contexts. Distinguish from sense 3, where the destruction is physical.
常見錯誤
guts — noun
1. the long tubes inside the body of a person or animal through which food passes a
the long tubes inside the body of a person or animal through which food passes after it leaves the stomach, especially when they are removed or seen outside the body.
The hunter removed the deer's guts before carrying it back to camp.
removed the [animal]'s guts
In biology class, Niran examined the guts of a preserved frog under the microscope.
Fish guts are often used as fertiliser on farms near the coast.
The old fishing line was made from animal guts, not from plastic or nylon.
Ayesha watched as the chef cleaned the chicken and removed the guts before roasting it.
- intestines
the standard medical term; 'guts' is more informal and often used when the organs are removed
- bowels
more formal or old-fashioned, often used in medical or biblical contexts
- entrails
used mainly when the organs are removed from a dead animal
文法句型
always plural when referring to internal organs
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form when referring to internal organs. The singular 'gut' refers to the whole digestive tract rather than the individual organs.
常見錯誤
2. the entire tube-shaped system in the body that processes food, starting from the
the entire tube-shaped system in the body that processes food, starting from the mouth and ending at the anus.
Fibre helps keep the gut healthy by moving food through the digestive system more easily.
keep the gut healthy
Dr. Okafor explained that the human gut is about nine metres long from mouth to anus.
Yuna's doctor recommended probiotics to balance the bacteria living in her gut.
Stress can affect the entire gut, causing pain in both the stomach and the intestines.
The surgery was needed because a blockage had formed in the lower part of Felix's gut.
- digestive system
broader term including organs like the liver and pancreas; 'gut' focuses on the tube itself
- alimentary canal
the formal medical term used in textbooks
- intestinal tract
more specific, usually refers to the intestines only, not the stomach or oesophagus
文法句型
the gut — singular when referring to the whole system
用法筆記
Unlike 'guts' (plural, sense 1), this sense is usually singular: 'the gut' or 'a person's gut'. It is a medical or semi-technical term.
3. the soft front part of the body between the chest and the legs, especially when
the soft front part of the body between the chest and the legs, especially when considered as the area where the stomach is.
Eitan complained of a sharp pain in his guts after eating the spicy curry too quickly.
pain in the guts
Lucía laughed so hard at the joke that her guts hurt for the rest of the evening.
The boxer took a heavy punch to the guts and doubled over immediately.
A large meal always leaves Femi feeling like his guts are about to burst.
Rania lay on the sofa with a hot water bottle on her guts, trying to ease the cramp.
文法句型
usually plural: guts = belly/abdomen
用法筆記
Informal — in formal writing, use 'stomach' or 'abdomen' instead. This sense overlaps with the digestive discomfort idea but focuses on the physical area of the body, not the organs themselves.
常見錯誤
4. a strong thread made from the intestines of animals, traditionally used to sew u
a strong thread made from the intestines of animals, traditionally used to sew up wounds during surgery or to make the strings of musical instruments such as violins and guitars.
Surgeons used to stitch wounds with gut, but now they mostly use synthetic materials instead.
stitch wounds with gut
Jessica prefers to play her violin with gut strings because they produce a warmer sound than steel ones.
The tennis racket from the 1960s still had its original gut strings, though they were quite fragile.
Greta learned in her medical history class that early stitches were made from animal gut and silk.
The old fishing net was handwoven from twisted gut and had lasted for decades.
- catgut
the full name; 'gut' is the shortened form
- surgical gut
used in medical contexts to distinguish it from musical-instrument gut
文法句型
gut = catgut as a material
用法筆記
Despite the name 'catgut', this material has never been made from cats — it comes from sheep, goats, or horses. The 'cat' part may come from 'kit' (a type of small violin) or from the Arabic 'qit' (guitar string).
5. the most important or basic parts inside a system, machine, or organisation that
the most important or basic parts inside a system, machine, or organisation that make it function or give it its real character.
The technician opened the back of the computer to check the guts of the machine for dust.
the guts of the machine
Isabela studied the guts of the engine carefully before trying to fix the problem.
The new law goes straight to the guts of the housing crisis by addressing rising rent costs.
To understand the film, you need to look past the special effects and find the guts of the story.
Olivia dismantled the old clock and laid the guts of the mechanism across the table.
文法句型
the guts of [something]
用法筆記
Figurative — refers to the internal structure that makes something work, not to living bodies. Distinguish from sense 7 (noun_b2) which describes a person's instinctive emotional reactions, not a system's inner workings.
6. the quality of being brave enough to do something difficult, unpleasant, or frig
the quality of being brave enough to do something difficult, unpleasant, or frightening, even when you feel afraid.
Niran did not have the guts to tell his boss that the report contained serious mistakes.
have the guts to + infinitive
It took a lot of guts for Femi to walk on stage and sing in front of two hundred people.
it takes guts to [do something]
The rescue team showed real guts by running into the burning building to save the children.
Yuna finally got the guts to quit her job and start her own small bakery.
Anyone who criticises the manager to his face needs guts of steel.
文法句型
have the guts to + infinitive
用法筆記
Informal — in formal writing, use 'courage', 'nerve', or 'bravery' instead. This sense is always plural ('guts') but is treated as uncountable in meaning (you cannot say 'a gut').
常見錯誤
7. someone's inner source of deep natural feelings and instincts, producing reactio
someone's inner source of deep natural feelings and instincts, producing reactions that do not depend on careful thought — for example, a feeling that something is right or wrong, or a sudden reaction to a situation.
Sumin felt a strange twisting in her guts as she walked into the exam hall.
in her guts — physical sign of instinct
When Eitan's uncle saw the damaged bridge, his guts screamed at him not to cross.
guts as source of warning instinct
Rachid knew in his guts that adopting the stray dog was right.
Camille's guts told her the job was wrong for her, despite the huge salary.
Kasia always listened to what her guts were saying when she met someone new.
- instinct
more neutral and formal; 'guts' emphasises a raw, physical sense of knowing
- intuition
focuses on knowing without reasoning; 'guts' is more about the physical feeling in the body
- sixth sense
less common; implies a mysterious ability rather than a natural bodily reaction
用法筆記
Unlike the singular 'gut' (used in compounds like 'gut feeling'), the plural 'guts' in this sense is used as the subject or object of emotional or instinctive reactions. Frequently appears with verbs like 'tell', 'scream', 'know', and 'feel'.
8. a very narrow channel or passage, especially in a coastline, cave, canyon, or ro
a very narrow channel or passage, especially in a coastline, cave, canyon, or rocky area, that people or things can move through.
The kayakers navigated through the rocky guts at the base of the cliff.
narrow channels in geography
At low tide, Ziad saw narrow guts where the water had cut through the rock.
The old quarter had dark guts where only one person could walk at a time.
Wren mapped the narrow guts of the canyon for her geology project.
用法筆記
Also used in the singular form 'a gut' when referring to one such passage. The plural 'guts' refers to multiple passages or a network of them.
9. the silk-producing gland taken from a fully grown silkworm just before it starts
the silk-producing gland taken from a fully grown silkworm just before it starts spinning its cocoon, used to make extremely fine, strong thread for fishing lines and high-quality sewing thread.
Silk farmers carefully removed the guts from silkworms before they spun their cocoons.
removing silk glands from silkworms
Hoa learned to draw the silk thread from the guts of each silkworm by hand.
The fishing line was made from silkworm guts and was strong enough for large trout.
Anjali studied the old method of pulling silk from silkworm guts.
用法筆記
This sense is highly specialised and belongs to the field of sericulture and traditional fishing-tackle making. It is not encountered in everyday speech.
10. a college or university class that needs very little work or study to pass, ofte
a college or university class that needs very little work or study to pass, often chosen mainly to earn credits quickly.
Stefan signed up for the course because everyone said it was a total gut.
slang: 'a gut' = an easy course
Antonia chose two easy guts to balance out her schedule of difficult classes.
The students called the class a real gut because there were no exams at all.
Hana needed credits, so she took a gut course that met once a week.
- blow-off class
more informal American campus slang; 'guts' is less common in modern usage
- easy A
focuses on the grade rather than the workload; more widely understood
- bird course
primarily British and Canadian slang for the same concept
用法筆記
Often used as the compound 'gut course' or simply 'a gut'. This is campus slang and is not used in formal academic writing.
guts — adjective
- gutspositive
- gutsercomparative
- gutsestsuperlative
1. based on a strong immediate feeling inside you, rather than on careful thinking
based on a strong immediate feeling inside you, rather than on careful thinking or logical reasons — for example, a gut feeling that a person cannot be trusted, or a gut reaction to say no before you have time to think.
Jessica had a gut feeling that something was wrong with the new manager.
gut + feeling: instinctive belief
Owen's gut reaction was to refuse, but he agreed to think about it overnight.
gut + reaction: immediate emotional response
The detective followed her gut instinct and checked the old warehouse again.
A gut feeling told Lien not to take the shortcut through the dark alley.
Sometimes you have to trust your gut and make a quick decision.
- instinctive
more formal; used for any automatic behaviour, not just feelings
- visceral
more formal and technical; suggests a deep physical reaction
- intuitive
focuses on understanding without reasoning, often in a positive light
- rational
based on logic and reason rather than emotion
- deliberate
carefully considered over time, not instantaneous
文法句型
gut + noun (feeling / reaction / instinct)
用法筆記
Always used before a noun (attributive position). The adjective form is 'gut' (without -s), even though the plural noun form of the word is 'guts.'
常見錯誤
2. producing a strong emotional effect on people; relating directly to the most imp
producing a strong emotional effect on people; relating directly to the most important or emotional side of a situation — for example, a gut issue that voters care about deeply, or a gut-wrenching scene in a film.
Valentina found child poverty to be a gut issue that demanded immediate action.
gut issue: deeply felt important topic
Kofi gave a gut-wrenching account of the accident that left the room silent.
gut-wrenching: causing extreme emotional distress
The film's gut appeal came from its honest look at family struggles and loss.
The closing scene had a real gut impact, and people left the theatre in tears.
- superficial
only affecting the surface, not deeply felt
- mild
weak in effect, not producing a strong reaction
文法句型
gut + noun (issue / appeal / concern)
用法筆記
Often used in fixed compounds such as 'gut-wrenching.' Only appears before a noun (attributive position).
常見錯誤
guts — idiom
1. used in phrases that refer to the bowels or stomach, especially when describing
used in phrases that refer to the bowels or stomach, especially when describing a strong emotional or physical reaction — for example, a feeling in your guts when you are nervous or frightened, or removing an animal's guts during preparation.
Daichi doubled over and clutched his guts after eating the spoiled fish.
possessive determiner + guts as body part
The hunter carefully removed the animal's guts before cleaning the meat.
Yara felt her guts tighten when she saw the difficult exam questions.
Linh cleaned the fish by cutting it open and pulling out its guts.
Folake could feel her guts churning nervously as the interview began.
- intestines
the standard medical term for the lower part of the digestive system
- bowels
a formal or clinical word for the intestines
- insides
an even more informal word for stomach or digestive organs
文法句型
used as plural noun
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form when referring to the bodily organs. The singular form 'gut' refers to the whole digestive tract or is used in compounds (gut bacteria, gut reaction).
常見錯誤
2. used in phrases that express bravery or determination in the face of difficulty
used in phrases that express bravery or determination in the face of difficulty — for example, 'have the guts to do something' means having enough courage to do something hard or unpleasant, and 'it takes guts' means a situation requires real bravery.
Brian did not have the guts to tell his parents he had failed the course.
negative: not have the guts to do something
Adina showed real guts by confronting the manager about the unfair policy.
show + guts
It takes guts to leave a steady job and start your own company from scratch.
Hugo had the guts to tell the board exactly what he thought of their proposal.
Owen questioned whether he had the guts to go skydiving off the cliff.
- courage
the standard, more formal word for the quality of being brave
- nerve
similar meaning, often in 'have the nerve to do something'; can also carry a more negative tone of being cheeky
- bravery
more formal, often used for heroic acts in dangerous situations
- backbone
figurative; refers to moral strength and firmness of character
- cowardice
the lack of courage when facing danger or difficulty
文法句型
have the guts to do something
take guts
show guts
用法筆記
Almost always paired with a verb phrase ('have the guts to + verb', 'show guts', 'take guts'). Cannot be used as a simple countable noun — one does not say 'a guts' or 'two guts' in this sense. Common in informal speech and writing.