gutting Definition

gut
noun

1. anatomy.
The alimentary canal or part of it.
2. colloq
The insides of a person or animal.
Thesaurus: bowels, insides, intestines, entrails, innards, viscera.
Form: guts
3. colloq
The stomach or abdomen.
4. colloq
A fat stomach; a paunch.
5. colloq
Courage or determination.
Thesaurus: courage, daring, audacity, boldness, spunk, moxie (US slang), endurance, stamina, backbone, mettle, grit, pluck, fortitude; Antonym: spinelessness.
Form: guts
6. colloq
The inner or essential parts.
Example: the guts of the scheme
Form: guts
7a. catgut;
7b. A fibre obtained from silkworms, used for fishing tackle.

verb gutted, gutting

1. To take the guts out of (an animal, especially fish).
2. To destroy the insides of something; to reduce to a shell.

Example: Fire gutted the building
Thesaurus: ravage, ransack, pillage, rifle, plunder, loot, clean out, sack, despoil.

adj

colloq:
1. Based on instinct and emotion, not reason.

Example: a gut reaction
Thesaurus: instinctive, innate, visceral, intuitive, natural, spontaneous, unthinking, involuntary, deep-seated, heartfelt.
2. Essential; basic.

Example: the gut problem

Idiom: hate someone's guts

See under hate.

Idiom: have someone's guts for garters

colloq
Especially used as a threat: to punish them severely.

Idiom: work one's guts out (sweat one's guts out, slave one's guts out)

colloq
To work extremely hard.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon gutt.