View synonyms for blunderbuss

blunderbuss

[ bluhn-der-buhs ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a short musket of wide bore with expanded muzzle to scatter shot, bullets, or slugs at close range.
an insensitive, blundering person.

blunderbuss

/ ˈblʌndəˌbʌs /

an obsolete short musket with large bore and flared muzzle, used to scatter shot at short range
informal.
a clumsy unsubtle person

1645–55; < Dutch donderbus (equivalent to donder thunder + bus gun, box ¹ ) with donder replaced by blunder. See harquebus

C17: changed (through the influence of blunder ) from Dutch donderbus ; from donder thunder + obsolete bus gun

I keep a good blunderbuss loaded over the door, an' thieves would na' find it an easy job to get in through these iron bars.

"It's a pity to keep a useful weapon only for show," returned Dolly, eyeing the old blunderbuss with looks of regret.

And with the first flash of light the foremost guard ran halfway up the steep embankment and leveled his blunderbuss.

So I bestowed a friendly nod on the man with the blunderbuss, and inquired, with a smile, whether I had disturbed his nap.

For he had turned his horse loose, and the blunderbuss, which he had been holding horizontally, was now dropped earthward.

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Browse