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Glite Dictionary
Very pistol

Very pistol

8.9
A small gun that fires bright flares to signal for help at sea or in emergencies
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : pistola de señal
  • The ship's officer used a Very pistol to send a distress signal into the night sky.

Examples

  • During the exercise, a red flare was launched from a Very pistol to signal for help.

  • The captain fired a Very pistol to signal the ship.

  • Soldiers were trained to operate the Very pistol for emergency communications.

  • Have you ever seen a Very pistol in action?

  • During the exercise, a red flare was launched from a Very pistol to signal for help.

  • The ship's officer used a Very pistol to send a distress signal into the night sky.

  • Soldiers were trained to operate the Very pistol for emergency communications.

Synonyms

Verey pistol
vsVery pistol
  • Specialized
9.9

A small pistol that fires flares to signal or make light

is the same item but spelled in an alternative written form

Surface Forms

Very pistol singular
Very pistols plural

Morphology

Very + pistol

This is opaque because 'Very' here is a proper name (from Edward W. Very) denoting a specific type of flare/pistol, not the adverb 'very'. A B1 learner who knows 'very' (as an adverb) and 'pistol' would not be able to derive the specialized meaning 'pistol for firing Very flares' from the constituents, so the expression is unpredictable and idiomatic/technical.

Etymology

Very pistol is named after a man called Very and is a small pistol that shoots bright flares high into the sky to send a signal. So, a Very pistol means 'a small pistol used to fire signal flares', for example to call for help.