English

Noun

pistol ‎(plural pistols)

1. A handgun, typically with a chamber integrated in the barrel, a semi-automatic action and a box magazine.
2. The mechanical component of a fuse in a bomb or torpedo responsible for firing the detonator.
3. A creative and unpredictable jokester, a constant source of entertainment and surprises.
   • 2011, Diane Lierow, Bernie Lierow, Kay West, Dani's Story: A Journey from Neglect to Love, page 81:

     She was gregarious, opinionated, and in charge, the kind of person you'd describe as a real pistol, and I was immediately drawn to her.

   • February 2012, Thomas Pugsley, Denial (episode) in Young Justice (TV series):

     KENT NELSON —Until my wife Inza convinced me there was more to life. Ah, she was a real pistol, that Inza.

   • 2012, Jimmy Correa, How My Prank Stories in ‘You Tube’ Made Me an Overnight Sensation, iUniverse, page 102:

     She features so many dance tunes and is a pistol with her sharp and witty remarks.

4. (Southern US) A small boy who is bright, alert and very active.
5. (American football) A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the center when the ball is snapped, but closer than in a shotgun formation, with a running back a few feet behind him.
   • Pistol offense on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Usage notes

Shooters normally differentiate between a pistol and a revolver, which is named after its rotating chamber; however, in common usage, the word pistol is also imprecisely used to refer to any type of handgun.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

pistol ‎(third-person singular simple present pistols, present participle pistoling, simple past and past participle pistoled)

1. (transitive) To shoot (at) a target with a pistol.

See also

• derringer
• pistole
• gat
• rod

Anagrams

• pilots, postil, sploit, spoilt

Danish

Etymology

From Middle French pistole or from German Pistole, either from Italian pistola or from Czech píšťala ‎(“whistle”), from Proto-Slavic *piščalь, from *piskati, *piščati ‎(“to squeak, whistle”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *pīṣk-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pistoːl/, [pʰiˈsd̥oːˀl]

Noun

pistol c (singular definite pistolen, plural indefinite pistoler)

1. handgun, pistol

Inflection

See also

• pistol on the Danish Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^da

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch pistool. Ultimately from Czech píšťala ‎(“whistle”), from Proto-Slavic *piščalь, from *piskati, *piščati ‎(“to squeak, whistle”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *pīṣk-.

Noun

pistol

1. a pistol (gun)

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Czech píšťala ‎(“whistle, because of the shape”), via German Pistole

Noun

pistol m ‎(definite singular pistolen, indefinite plural pistoler, definite plural pistolene)

1. a pistol (firearm)
   • Langs veggene sto politimenn med dystre ansikter, truende, med hendene på pistolene sine. Along the walls policemen stood menacingly with sombre faces, and with hands on their pistols.

References

• “pistol” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Czech píšťala ‎(“whistle”), via German Pistole

Noun

pistol m ‎(definite singular pistolen, indefinite plural pistolar, definite plural pistolane)

1. a pistol (firearm)

References

• “pistol” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Etymology

Ultimately from Czech píšťala ‎(“whistle”), from Proto-Slavic *piščalь, from *piskati, *piščati ‎(“to squeak, whistle”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *pīṣk-.

Pronunciation

Noun

pistol c

1. a pistol (gun)

Declension

Related terms

See also

• revolver