Definitions for pistol
ˈpɪs tlpis·tol

Princeton's WordNet(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. pistol, handgun, side arm, shooting iron(noun)

   a firearm that is held and fired with one hand

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. pistol(Noun)

   A handgun, with a chamber integrated in the barrel, a semi-automatic action and a box magazine.

2. pistol(Noun)

   The mechanical component of a fuse in a bomb or torpedo responsible for firing the detonator.

3. pistol(Noun)

   A creative and unpredictable jokester, a constant source of entertainment and surprises.

4. pistol(Noun)

   A small boy who is bright, alert and very active.

5. 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.

6. pistol(Verb)

   To shoot (at) a target with a pistol.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Pistol(noun)

   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

   Etymology: [F. pistole, pistolet, It. pistola; prob. from a form Pistola, for Pistoja, a town in Italy where pistols were first made. Cf. Pistole.]

2. Pistol(verb)

   to shoot with a pistol

   Etymology: [F. pistole, pistolet, It. pistola; prob. from a form Pistola, for Pistoja, a town in Italy where pistols were first made. Cf. Pistole.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. 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.]

The New Hacker's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. pistol

   [IBM] A tool that makes it all too easy for you to shoot yourself in the foot. “Unix rm * makes such a nice pistol!”

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. pistol

   An old word for a swaggering rogue; hence Shakspeare's character in Henry V.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. 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.

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. pistol

   Song lyrics by pistol -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by pistol on the Lyrics.com website.

Etymology and Origins(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Pistol

   From Pistoja in Italy, where this kind of small firearm was first introduced in 1545.

Anagrams for pistol »

1. pilots, postil, sploit, spoilt

How to pronounce pistol?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say pistol in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of pistol in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of pistol in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of pistol in a Sentence

1. Dirk Arendt:

   If someone decided to start shooting with a pistol from the roof of the Reichstag (parliament), security guards would be all over them. But when data are siphoned off for months, no one bats an eyelid.

2. Jennifer Sain:

   Do I want to suffer or do I just want to get it done with. And at one point I was reaching for my pistol, asking the Lord for forgiveness.

3. Philip Roth:

   A Jew without Jews, without Judaism, without Zionism, without Jewishness, without a temple or an army or even a pistol, a Jew clearly without a home, just the object itself, like a glass or an apple.

4. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo:

   The suspect, then without any warning, takes out a semi-automatic pistol and fires one shot at our officer.

5. Simms:

   The proverb answers where the sermon fails, as a well-charged pistol will do more execution than a whole barrel of gunpowder idly exploded in the air.

Images & Illustrations of pistol

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