What does blunderbuss mean?
Definitions for blunderbuss
ˈblʌn dərˌbʌsblun·der·buss
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word blunderbuss.
Princeton's WordNet
blunderbussnoun
a short musket of wide bore with a flared muzzle
Wiktionary
blunderbussnoun
An old style of muzzleloading firearm and early form of shotgun with a distinctive large opening at the muzzle, therefore able to fire scattered quantities of nails, stones, shot, etc. at short range
Etymology: From donderbus, "thunder gun".
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Blunderbussnoun
A gun that is charged with many bullets, so that, without any exact aim, there is a chance of hitting the mark.
Etymology: from blunder.
There are blunderbusses in every loop-hole, that go off of their own accord, at the squeaking of a fiddle. Dryden.
Wikipedia
Blunderbuss
The blunderbuss is a firearm with a short, large caliber barrel which is flared at the muzzle and frequently throughout the entire bore, and used with shot and other projectiles of relevant quantity or caliber. The blunderbuss is commonly considered to be an early predecessor of the modern shotgun, with similar military and defensive use. It was effective only at short range, lacking accuracy at long distances. A blunderbuss in handgun form was called a dragon, and it is from this that the term dragoon evolved.
ChatGPT
blunderbuss
A blunderbuss is a type of firearm with a short, large barrel that is flared at the muzzle, used in the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries. It can also be used metaphorically to refer to a coarse, clumsy, and aggressive person or action.
Webster Dictionary
Blunderbussnoun
a short gun or firearm, with a large bore, capable of holding a number of balls, and intended to do execution without exact aim
Blunderbussnoun
a stupid, blundering fellow
Wikidata
Blunderbuss
The blunderbuss is a muzzle-loading firearm with a short, large caliber barrel, which is flared at the muzzle and frequently throughout the entire bore, and used with shot and other projectiles of relevant quantity and/or caliber. The blunderbuss could be considered to be an early form of shotgun or muzzleloader, which was often adapted to military and defensive use. It was effective at short ranges, but lacked accuracy for targets at long range. The term dragon was used to describe a blunderbuss in handgun form, and it is from this that the term dragoon evolved.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Blunderbuss
blun′dėr-bus, n. a short hand-gun with a wide bore. [Corr. of Dut. donderbus—donder, thunder, bus, a box, barrel of a gun, a gun; Ger. donnerbüchse.]
Dictionary of Nautical Terms
blunderbuss
A short fire-arm, with a large bore and wide mouth, to scatter a number of musket or pistol bullets or slugs.
Military Dictionary and Gazetteer
blunderbuss
A short gun or fire-arm, with a large bore, capable of holding a number of balls, and intended to do execution without exact aim.
Etymology and Origins
Blunderbuss
A corruption of the Dutch donderbus, “thunder tube.”
Matched Categories
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of blunderbuss in Chaldean Numerology is: 5
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of blunderbuss in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2
Examples of blunderbuss in a Sentence
This is a blunderbuss, suspicion-less surveillance program where the only search criteria is religion.
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Translations for blunderbuss
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"blunderbuss." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 10 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/blunderbuss>.
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