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Glite Dictionary
machine pistol

machine pistol

3 7.8
A small automatic handgun that fires many bullets very quickly
  • noun
  • /məˈʃin ˈpɪstəl/
  • NSFW
translation icon : pistola ametralladora
  • The soldier fired his machine pistol as the enemy advanced.
  • fire with a machine pistol
  • Uzi machine pistol
  • Scorpion machine pistol

Examples

  • The new Uzi machine pistol.

    Lord of War (2005)

  • From this opening, a middle-aged man with Chinese features aimed a machine pistol at him.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • All shot in the back, with machine pistols.

    Force 10 from Navarone (1978)

  • One of those heavy German machine pistols.

    Going in Style (1979)

  • Billy staggers forward, a machine pistol in his hand.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Now they use machine pistols in gang fights.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Harvey spins, draws his machine pistol.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Carlos is standing by the driver with a machine pistol in one hand and a grenade in the other.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • The Scorpion machine-pistol is already out, spouting deadly accurate fire.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • The doors of the Suburbans fly open and four gunmen pile out, wearing ski masks and carrying machine pistols.

    Fiction book (2000)

Synonyms

submachine gun
vsmachine pistol
8 4.6

A small automatic weapon that uses pistol bullets

is a smaller handheld variant of that type, not the full-sized form
automatic pistol
vsmachine pistol
  • Specialized
2 5.1

A small gun that keeps firing while you hold the trigger and there are bullets

is smaller and designed specifically to fire many rounds very quickly
automatic gun
vsmachine pistol
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A weapon that reloads and keeps firing while you hold the trigger

is a much smaller version built to fire many rounds rapidly
automatic firearm
vsmachine pistol
  • Specialized
1 5.1

A gun that keeps loading and shooting as long as you hold the trigger

is specifically a compact form meant for rapid multiple shots
burp gun
vsmachine pistol
  • Archaic
9.3

A small automatic gun like a pistol that fires bullets very quickly

is the same idea but emphasises small handheld form and rapid fire

How Automatic

assault rifle
  • Specialized
36 4.8
machine pistol
  • NSFW
3 7.8
semiautomatic pistol
  • Specialized
3 4.7
revolver
71 3.6

Surface Forms

machine pistol singular
machine pistols plural

Morphology

machine + pistol

The noun–noun compound is compositionally interpretable: a B1 learner who knows 'pistol' and 'machine' can infer it refers to a pistol with machine-like/automatic characteristics (analogous to 'machine gun'). However, the specific technical sense — a small, fully automatic handgun or subtype of submachine gun — is specialized and not fully predictable from the parts alone, so prior exposure may be needed.

Etymology

Machine pistol joins the words machine and pistol. machine means 'automatic' and pistol means a small 'handgun'. Picture a little handgun that fires like a tiny machine and can shoot many bullets very quickly, so the name means 'a small automatic handgun'.