handgun

[ hand-guhn ]

/ ˈhændˌgʌn /

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See synonyms for handgun on Thesaurus.com

noun

any firearm that can be held and fired with one hand; a revolver or a pistol.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of handgun

First recorded in 1400–50, handgun is from the late Middle English word handgone.See hand, gun¹

Words nearby handgun

hand, foot, and mouth disease, handful, hand glass, hand grenade, handgrip, handgun, handheld, handheld computer, handhold, handholding, hand horn

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use handgun in a sentence

Reid previously faced a jail sentence of up to 23 months for his role in a 2007 road rage incident in which he allegedly wielded a handgun.
As police continue probe of Britt Reid crash, 5-year-old remains in critical condition|Rick Maese|February 9, 2021|Washington Post
Police said the man had a holstered handgun and ammunition in his vehicle.
The fortress around downtown D.C. is being dismantled. But heightened security may remain.|Emily Davies, Michael Brice-Saddler, Peter Hermann|January 21, 2021|Washington Post
At some point, Ocran “displayed a handgun” and was shot by at least one of the officers, according to Gaithersburg Police Chief Mark Sroka.
Montgomery County records a sixth homicide in 2021|Dan Morse|January 14, 2021|Washington Post
Some participants were dressed in fatigues and carried semi-automatic rifles, handguns or tactical equipment.
'A Real Nightmare.' State Capitols Are Racing to Catch Up to the Far-Right Threat|Vera Bergengruen|January 14, 2021|Time

Gaithersburg Police Chief Mark Sroka said Friday night that the man being pursued “displayed a handgun” near an apartment complex.
Police identify man fatally shot by Gaithersburg officers|Rebecca Tan, Martin Weil|January 11, 2021|Washington Post
In states that require a background check for every handgun sale, 38 percent fewer women are shot to death by intimate partners.
Use Your Vote to Take Stand Against Domestic Violence|Shannon Watts|October 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He qualified as “sharpshooter” on the M1911A1-45 ACP handgun in 1994.
The (Sloppy) Swift-Boating of Michigan Democrat Gary Peters|Tim Mak|October 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He swaggered into the school cafeteria that day with a .22 caliber handgun and started shooting randomly.
How To Plan A Jailbreak|Seth Ferranti|September 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When the only option for carrying a handgun is to carry concealed, it unfairly discriminates against women and professionals.
A Gun Owner Speaks: My Case for Open Carry|CJ Grisham|June 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At 1:52 pm, Platt received a phone call informing him that a handgun had been used in the killing of German.
The Teen Love Letters that Led to a Tragic Murder-Suicide in Florida|Michael Daly|March 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It's difficult to fire a handgun accurately while in motion.
The Status Civilization|Robert Sheckley
He reached inside his blouse and took out a fully loaded handgun.
The Highest Treason|Randall Garrett
But if you have ever fired a handgun, you don't even think about recoil.
Warren Commission (3 of 26): Hearings Vol. III (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
He pointed at the little handgun he was still holding in his hand.
The Eyes Have It|Gordon Randall Garrett
A beef-faced squire on a pirouetting horse loosed off his gun at Revel, who snatched a handgun from his belt and fired back.
The Buttoned Sky|Geoff St. Reynard

British Dictionary definitions for handgun

handgun

/ (ˈhændˌɡʌn) /

noun

a firearm that can be held, carried, and fired with one hand, such as a pistol

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

handgun

Origin of handgun

Words nearby handgun

Words related to handgun

How to use handgun in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for handgun