Definition of pistol Pistol
/pɪˈstʌl/ - [pistul] - pis•tol
We found 15 definitions of pistol from 9 different sources.
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What does pistol mean?
WordNet
NounPlural: pistols |
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| pistol - a firearm that is held and fired with one hand | ||
| handgun, side arm, shooting iron | ||
| firearm, small-arm, piece a portable gun; "he wore his firearm in a shoulder holster" | ||
| automatic pistol, automatic a pistol that will keep firing until the ammunition is gone or the trigger is released | ||
| derringer a pocket pistol of large caliber with a short barrel | ||
| forty-five a .45-caliber pistol | ||
| gat, rod a gangster's pistol | ||
| horse-pistol, horse pistol a large pistol (usually in a holster) formerly carried by horsemen | ||
| peacekeeper the pistol of a law officer in the old West | ||
| six-gun, six-shooter, revolver a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets) | ||
| saturday night special a cheap handgun that is easily obtained | ||
| semiautomatic, semiautomatic pistol a pistol that is a semiautomatic firearm capable of loading and firing continuously | ||
| gunstock, stock the merchandise that a shop has on hand; "they carried a vast inventory of hardware"; "they stopped selling in exact sizes in order to reduce inventory" | ||
| verey pistol, very pistol a pistol for firing Very-light flares | ||
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Wiktionary 
- pistol (Noun)
A handgun, with a chamber integrated in the barrel, a semi-automatic action and a box magazine. - pistol (Noun)
The mechanical component of a fuse in a bomb or torpedo responsible for firing the detonator. - pistol (Noun)
A creative and unpredictable jokester, a constant source of entertainment and surprises. - pistol (Noun)
A small boy who is bright, alert and very active. - pistol (Noun)
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 (Verb)
To shoot at a target with a pistol.
Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘
- pistol (n.)
The smallest firearm used, intended to be fired from one hand, -- now of many patterns, and bearing a great variety of names. See Illust. of Revolver. - pistol (v. t.)
To shoot with a pistol.
OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω
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pistol
A handgun, typically with a semi-automatic action and a clip magazine.
Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕
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pistol
pis′tol, n. a small hand-gun, held in one hand when fired.—v.t. to shoot with a pistol.—ns. Pistoleer′, one armed with a pistol; Pis′tolet, a little pistol; Pis′tol-shot. [O. Fr. pistole—It. pistola, said to be from Pistoja (orig. Pistola), a town in Italy.]
Sailor's Word-BookThe Sailor's Word-Book ⛵
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pistol
An old word for a swaggering rogue; hence Shakspeare's character in Henry V.
Military DictionaryMilitary Dictionary and Gazetteer 💥
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pistol
Is the smallest description of fire-arm, and is intended to be used with one hand only. Pistols were first used by the cavalry of England about 1544. They vary in size from the delicate saloon-pistol, often not 6 inches long, to the horse-pistol, which may measure 18 inches, and sometimes even 2 feet. They are carried in holsters at the saddle-bow, in the belt, or in the pocket. Every cavalry soldier should have pistols, for a fire-arm is often of great service for personal defense, and almost indispensable in giving an alarm or signal. Of late years pistols have been made with revolving cylinder breeches, in which are formed several chambers for receiving cartridges, and bringing them in succession into a line with the barrel ready for firing. See REVOLVERS.
Wikipedia 
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A pistol is a type of gun that is small and can be used with only one hand. Many pistols are used for defending yourself. They are usually smaller and lighter than most guns, like rifles, which makes them useful for hiding and carrying around. They also have shorter barrels.
Pistols usually only fire one shot every time you pull the trigger. Some special pistols, called machine pistols, can fire more than one at a time. Some famous pistols are the Colt M1911 and the Beretta 92.
Pistols were commonly used in the western United States during the 1800s.
