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pistol

pistol

268 2.1
A small gun you hold and fire with one hand
  • noun
  • /ˈpɪstəl/
translation icon : pistola
  • Advances down the pitch-dark alley, pistol drawn, silhouetted against the light from the street behind him.
  • shoot a pistol
  • automatic pistol
  • pulled a pistol

And he wrapped the pistol with a handkerchief.

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Examples

  • In the tree, the crew member keeps his pistol aimed at Scraggy's head.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Try to grab my pistol, will you!

  • You saved the last pistol round you have for yourself.

  • Sailor is by the front door holding his pistol on the two old men.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Alex shot him twice with his pistol and Charles was murdered.

  • Green reached under his bed and found a pistol aimed from the hip.

  • We met first at the point of a pistol, Jacob and I, as he was robbing me.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • At another gesture, they drew their pistols and then began moving forward cautiously.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Battling his every instinct, Charlie lowers the pistol and slips it into his jacket.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • He pulled out his pistol and aimed it at the target in the shooting range.

Synonyms

firearm
vspistol
258 4.5

A gun a person can hold and fire by hand

is narrower, meaning only the small one-handed model
handgun
vspistol
187 4.6

A small gun that you hold and fire with one hand

is the more common everyday name rather than a technical term
revolver
vspistol
71 3.6

A small gun with a cylinder that holds several bullets so you can fire many times without reloading

refers to any small one-handed firearm, not only that cylinder type
sidearm
vspistol
20 4.6

A small gun carried at a person's side for protection

is the general term for the object regardless of where or why carried
shooting iron
vspistol
  • Archaic
1 8.6

A small gun like a pistol that you carry on your belt

is the neutral standard term rather than slang
pistole
vspistol
  • Archaic
9.9

A small gun that often appears in old stories

is the modern neutral term used in ordinary contexts

Idioms

1 9.9

Being very active and popular right now

Compounds

4 1.3

A small toy that sprays water for play

3 7.8

A small automatic handgun that fires many bullets very quickly

pistol grip
  • Specialized
3 5.5

A handle shaped like the part of a small gun you hold with one hand

semiautomatic pistol
  • Specialized
3 4.7

A small gun that reloads itself after each shot and fires one bullet each time you pull the trigger

automatic pistol
  • Specialized
2 5.1

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

horse pistol
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A large gun carried by a rider on horseback in a holster

horse-pistol
  • Archaic
9.9

A large pistol carried by soldiers on horses in the past

A small sea animal with one large claw that snaps loudly to stun prey

A small gun that fires light bullets and does not push back much for target practice

Verey pistol
  • Specialized
9.9

A small pistol that fires flares to signal or make light

Very pistol
  • Specialized
8.9

A small gun that fires bright flares to signal for help at sea or in emergencies

How Lethal

machine gun
  • NSFW
101 3.5
rifle
525 3.2
shotgun
324 4.1
pistol
268 2.1
knife
  • NSFW
1.0

Surface Forms

pistol singular
pistols plural

Etymology

The word pistol probably comes from an old Czech word píšťala, which meant 'pipe' or 'whistle' and was used for a small gun that looked like a little pipe and sometimes made a whistling sound. That's why pistol now means a small, hand-held gun.