gut

noun

• 1 (also guts) the stomach or belly:a painful stabbing feeling in his gut
• Medicine & Biology the lower alimentary canal or a part of this; the intestine:microbes which naturally live in the human gut
• (guts) entrails that have been removed or exposed in violence or by a butcher.
• (guts) the internal parts or essence of something:the guts of a modern computer

• 2 (guts) informal personal courage and determination; toughness of character:she had both more brains and more guts than her husband you just haven’t got the guts to admit it
• [often as modifier] informal used in reference to a feeling or reaction based on an instinctive emotional response rather than considered thought:a gut feeling I could feel it in my guts—he was out there, watching me

• 3fiber made from the intestines of animals, used especially for violin or racket strings or for surgical use: [as modifier]:gut strings

• 4a narrow passage or strait.

verb (guts, gutting, gutted)

• 1take out the intestines and other internal organs of (a fish or other animal) before cooking it.
• remove or destroy completely the internal parts of (a building or other structure):the fire gutted most of the factory

• 2British informal cause (someone) to feel extremely upset or disappointed:it guts me to think about what my mother and brother missed out on (as adjective gutting)she described the ruling as absolutely gutting