trigger finger

any finger, usually the forefinger, that presses the trigger of a gun.

either forefinger, depending on which hand is dominant.

Pathology. difficulty in straightening or bending a ring finger, caused by inflammation and thickening of its tendon.

QUIZZES

Have the Words of the Day from October 19–25, 2020, made an indelible mark on your memory? Take the quiz to find out!

Question 1 of 7

What does “clement” mean?

First recorded in 1820–30

One little crooking of the trigger-finger and the lead had gone upon its errand.
The Master of Appleby|Francis Lynde
His trigger-finger glided inside the guard; there was a sudden wrist movement and the revolver whirled end for end.
When the West Was Young|Frederick R. Bechdolt
The speaker smoothed the barrel of his rifle with mittened hand, which had, however, a trigger-finger free.
Northern Lights|Gilbert Parker
Gripping his revolver hard, his trigger-finger steady, the corporal fired again, and another of his foes fell.
The adventures of Kimble Bent|James Cowan

Suppose that the Carolina trigger-finger slipped, as Hunter had nonchalantly admitted might happen: what then?
Slippy McGee, Sometimes Known as the Butterfly Man|Marie Conway Oemler