See Also: pistol(medicine)
pistol(dictionary)
pistol(encyclopedia)
pistol(dictionary)
pistol-whip(dictionary)
water pistol(dictionary)
pistol-shot sound(medicine)
Pistol Stud - Poker(gambling)
Pistol Pete - Poker(gambling)
Pistol Grip - Fencing(gambling)

pistol (iou)



pistol noun & verb. M16.

A. noun.
A small firearm to be held in one hand; a similar small handgun discharged without an explosive, as one using compressed air. M16.
air pistol, duelling pistol, machine pistol, starting pistol, muff pistol, water-pistol, etc. beat the pistol = jump the gun s.v. GUN noun. put a pistol to one's head, put a pistol to someone's head: see HEAD noun. smoking pistol: see SMOKING ppl adjective. with a pistol at one's head under pressure, while being threatened.
J. Thurber The murders had been done with an automatic pistol, not a revolver.
transf. A person armed with or skilled in the use of a pistol, a pistoleer. L16.
a. A swaggering or peculiar person; a fellow, a chap. Chiefly derog. dial. M19.
b. A remarkable person, esp. a reliable person of strong character, a stalwart. US slang. L20.
Comb.: pistol-grip a handle or grip shaped like the butt of a pistol, spec. on the underside of a gun-stock; pistol-hand (a) the hand in which a pistol is held; (b) = pistol-grip above; pistol-packer colloq. a person armed with a pistol; pistol-packing adjective (colloq.) carrying or armed with a pistol; pistol-shot (a) a shot fired from a pistol; (b) the range of a pistol; (c) a person who shoots (well, badly, etc.) with a pistol; pistol shrimp = snapping shrimp s.v. SNAPPING ppl adjective; pistol-whip verb trans. (orig. US) strike or beat (a person) with the butt of a pistol; pistol-whipping a beating with the butt of a pistol.
b. verb trans. Infl. -ll-, -l-. Shoot (esp. a person) with a pistol. L16.
pistolade noun & verb (a) noun (a wound inflicted by) a pistol shot; (b) verb trans. attack or fire on with pistols: L16-E19.