What does It Mean to ‘Stick to Your Guns’ and Where did It Come from?

To stick to your guns means —

• to maintain your position in the face of opposition;
• to hold your views with determination and defend them, even if people are opposing you.

In olden times, during a battle, the soldiers who staffed strategically critical posts or who operated heavy artillery were ordered not to run away or leave their post even if the enemy was winning. They were asked to stick to their guns and fire until death.

By the mid-eighteenth century, this phrase began to be used figuratively, meaning — to stand firm on your opinions in the face of opposition.

For e.g. —

“That young senator has a bright future in politics. In a recent debate on fuel prices, he stuck to his guns and won the opposition with his eloquence and reasoning.”

It means that the young senator defended his viewpoint and spoke with such convincing and persuasive skills that the opposition had to agree with him.

I hope you found this story interesting. If you did, buy my full course on Udemy or watch it for free on Skillshare by signing up here. This course covers nearly 380 idioms with their origins and backstories.

Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.