noun
1. Literature/Drama. A metaphor for a dramatic principle concerning simplicity and foreshadowing. It suggests that if one shows a loaded gun on stage in the first act of a play, it should be fired in a later act; otherwise, the gun should not be shown in the first place. The principle was articulated by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov and reported in various forms. The purpose is to exclude any unnecessary elements from staging or description that serve no purpose.
EX. I constantly try to explain this principle to my peers; every element in a material should serve a purpose or work to create an atmosphere. If you leave a bunch of Chekhov's guns lying around, just expect to get shot in the face by your own sloppy writing. Also, I want an 8-bit gun.
