gun
v.— «The present invention relates to a process for the repair of blast furnaces. More specifically, it relates to a method of repairing blast furnaces using a vertical remote controlled refractory gunning apparatus.…U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,858 discloses a repairing apparatus for an industrial furnace which comprises a plasma spray gun capable of being moved in a three-dimensional direction relative to the area of the furnace wall to be repaired. By controlling the spray distance of the plasma flame, repairs can be made to uneven areas of damage.…Manual gunning requires a complete shutdown of the furnace. After the furnace has cooled, men must enter the furnace on erected scaffolds and gun the stack at close range.» —“United States Patent 4,860,422″ by Joseph Marino United States Patent and Trademark Office Aug. 29, 1989. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Brian in San Antonio, Texas, wonders about the origin of the pinking in the term pinking shears. Such shears cut an even, zigzag pattern that keeps cloth from fraying at the edges. Pinking likely comes from French piquer, meaning to...
Why is an insulated sleeve for a beverage called a koozie, often spelled koozy, coozy, coozie, and other ways? Any relation to a tea cozy used to keep a teapot warm? In Australia, a coozie is often called a stubby holder, a stubby or stubbie being...