pistol
[pis-tl]
- a short firearm intended to be held and fired with one hand.
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- to shoot with a pistol.
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Origin of pistol
1560–70; < Middle French pistole < German, earlier pitschal, pitschole, petsole < Czech píšt’ala literally, pipe, fife, whistle (presumably a slang term for a type of light harquebus employed during the Hussite wars), akin to pištět to squeak, peep
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for pistol
Contemporary Examples
On October 5, 2013, Wilson pointed a pistol at a postal clerk.
He pointed a pistol at a grocery checkout woman and swiped whatever cash he could into his pockets before booking it.
A call made to police beforehand described Rice as “a guy with a pistol” on a swing set, but said it was “probably fake.”
In Devoted to Death, Chesnut describes a Mexican hitman who has an image of la Santa engraved on the butt of his pistol.
For all the talk of high-tech military gear, this began like a scene from long ago: two men, one pistol, six shots.
Historical Examples
Katherine handed Austin the pistol which she had taken from Dick's hand.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
A moment later, when he was alone, he uncocked the pistol--Dick's pistol.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
He leaped toward Garson—would have wrenched the pistol from the other's grasp.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
He sprang to the octagonal window, even as Dick took possession of the pistol.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
His hand slipped into the pocket where was the pistol, and clutched it.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
pistol
- a short-barrelled handgun
- hold a pistol to a person's head to threaten a person in order to force him to do what one wants
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- (tr) to shoot with a pistol
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Word Origin
C16: from French pistole, from German, from Czech pišt'ala pistol, pipe; related to Russian pischal shepherd's pipes
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for pistol
n.
"small hand-held firearm," 1570s, from Middle French pistole "short firearm" (1566), of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be from German Pistole, from Czech pis'tala "firearm," literally "tube, pipe," from pisteti "to whistle," of imitative origin, related to Russian pischal "shepherd's pipe."
But earlier English form pistolet (1550) is said to be from Middle French pistolet "a small firearm," also "a small dagger," which may be the literal sense; though some connect this word with Italian pistolese, in reference to Pistoia, town in Tuscany noted for gunsmithing. Pistol-whip (v.) is first recorded 1942.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper