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. John Urquhart:

   There’s nothing standard about approaching a driver with a pistol out. That should not have happened.

2. Benjamin Netanyahu:

   We don't point a pistol at our own forehead. That is not the way to conduct negotiations.

3. Fernando Montoya:

   He said a guy pulled a pistol out of a guitar case and started to shoot.

4. Mark Galeotti:

   Usually it is relatively easy to get a pistol or anything up to an assault rifle, but it is much harder to get an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) or a machine gun or the boring things like spare parts for the above. You actually need to have a proper war for these sorts of things to become available and, lo and behold, you have a proper war.

5. David Obonyo:

   Following the incident, 21 al Shabaab militants were killed, 19 AK 47 rifles, three rocket propelled grenades and a pistol were recovered, regrettably, KDF suffered two fatalities and five injuries. The injured were evacuated and are receiving medical attention.

Images & Illustrations of pistol

Popularity rank by frequency of use