pistol

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See also: pistöł and pištoľ

English

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A pistol (handgun)
A pistol formation in American football.

Etymology

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Probably from Middle French pistole, or via Middle English pistolet, from Middle French pistolet (“small firearm or small dagger”). The origin is unclear, if via German to Romance probably from Middle High German forms like pischulle from Czech píšťala (“firearm”, literally “tube, pipe”),[1] from Proto-Slavic *piščalь, from *piskati, *piščati (“to squeak, whistle”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *pīṣk-. Alternatively, if from Romance to German, from or related to Italian pistolese (“short dagger”), from Italian Pistoia (“a Tuscan town noted for its gunsmithing”).[1]

Pronunciation

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Noun

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pistol (plural pistols)

  1. A handgun [1570s[1]]
  2. The mechanical component of a fuse in a bomb or torpedo responsible for firing the detonator.
  3. A creative and unpredictable jokester, a constant source of entertainment and surprises.
    • 2011, Diane Lierow, Bernie Lierow, Kay West, Dani's Story: A Journey from Neglect to Love‎[1], page 81:
      She was gregarious, opinionated, and in charge, the kind of person you'd describe as a real pistol, and I was immediately drawn to her.
    • February 2012, Thomas Pugsley, Denial (episode) in Young Justice (TV series):
      KENT NELSON —Until my wife Inza convinced me there was more to life. Ah, she was a real pistol, that Inza.
    • 2012, Jimmy Correa, How My Prank Stories in ‘You Tube’ Made Me an Overnight Sensation, iUniverse, page 102:
      She features so many dance tunes and is a pistol with her sharp and witty remarks.
  4. (Southern US) A small boy who is bright, alert and very active.
  5. (American football) An offensive formation in which the quarterback receives the snap at a distance behind the center, but closer than in a shotgun formation, with a running back lined up behind him.

Usage notes

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Some shooters differentiate between a "pistol", a semi-automatic handgun with a single, integrated chamber fed by a detachable magazine, and a revolver, which is named after its multiple rotating chambers; however, in common usage, the word pistol is used to refer to any type of handgun.

Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Verb

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pistol (third-person singular simple present pistols, present participle pistoling or (more uncommon) pistolling, simple past and past participle pistoled or (more uncommon) pistolled)

  1. (transitive) To shoot (at) a target with a pistol.

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “pistol”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Further reading

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Anagrams

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Cebuano

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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A minced oath of pisti.

Pronunciation

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  • Hyphenation: pis‧tol

Interjection

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pistol

  1. expressing anger, surprise, excitement, etc.

Danish

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Etymology

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From Middle French pistole or from German Pistole, either from Italian pistola or from Czech píšťala (“whistle”), from Proto-Slavic *piščalь, from *piskati, *piščati (“to squeak, whistle”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *pīṣk-.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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pistol c (singular definite pistolen, plural indefinite pistoler)

  1. handgun, pistol

Inflection

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Declension of pistol
common
gender 		Singular Plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative pistol pistolen pistoler pistolerne
genitive pistols pistolens pistolers pistolernes

See also

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Indonesian

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Etymology

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From Malay pistol, from Dutch pistool, from German Pistole, from Middle French pistole, from Czech píšťala (“whistle”), from Proto-Slavic *piščalь, from *piskati, *piščati (“to squeak, whistle”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *pīṣk-.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈpɪstɔl/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: pis‧tol

Noun

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pistol (first-person possessive pistolku, second-person possessive pistolmu, third-person possessive pistolnya)

  1. a pistol (gun)

Alternative forms

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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Malay

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Etymology

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From Dutch pistool. Ultimately from Czech píšťala (“whistle”), from Proto-Slavic *piščalь, from *piskati, *piščati (“to squeak, whistle”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *pīṣk-.

Noun

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pistol (Jawi spelling ڤيستول, plural pistol-pistol, informal 1st possessive pistolku, 2nd possessive pistolmu, 3rd possessive pistolnya)

  1. a pistol (gun, handheld short firearm weapon)

Further reading

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Norwegian Bokmål

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Norwegian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia no

Etymology

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From Czech píšťala (“whistle, because of the shape”), via German Pistole.

Noun

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pistol m (definite singular pistolen, indefinite plural pistoler, definite plural pistolene)

  1. a pistol (firearm)
    • 2012, Tatiana de Rosnay, translated by Kirsti Overgaard, Saras nøkkel [Sarah's Key]‎[2]:
      Langs veggene sto politimenn med dystre ansikter, truende, med hendene på pistolene sine.
      Along the walls policemen stood menacingly with sombre faces, and with hands on their pistols.

References

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Norwegian Nynorsk

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Norwegian Nynorsk Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nn

Etymology

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From Czech píšťala (“whistle”), via German Pistole.

Noun

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pistol m (definite singular pistolen, indefinite plural pistolar, definite plural pistolane)

  1. a pistol (firearm)

References

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Old English

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Etymology

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From Late Latin epistola, epistula. Compare Middle Dutch pistele, pistel, Middle Low German pistele, Middle High German pistel.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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pistol m

  1. (religion, Christianity) letter, epistle
  2. (religion, Christianity, biblical) an epistle of the New Testament

Declension

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Declension of pistol (strong a-stem)
Case Singular Plural
nominative pistol pistolas
accusative pistol pistolas
genitive pistoles pistola
dative pistole pistolum

Derived terms

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Descendants

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Romanian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Greek πιστόλι (pistóli).

Noun

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pistol n (plural pistoale)

  1. pistol

Declension

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Declension of pistol
singular plural
indefinite articulation definite articulation indefinite articulation definite articulation
nominative/accusative (un) pistol pistolul (niște) pistoale pistoalele
genitive/dative (unui) pistol pistolului (unor) pistoale pistoalelor
vocative pistolule pistoalelor

Swedish

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Etymology

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Ultimately from Czech píšťala (“whistle”), from Proto-Slavic *piščalь, from *piskati, *piščati (“to squeak, whistle”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *pīṣk-.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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pistol c

  1. a pistol (gun)
    Synonyms: (colloquial) pickadoll, (colloquial) picka, (colloquial) puffra

Declension

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Declension of pistol
nominative genitive
singular indefinite pistol pistols
definite pistolen pistolens
plural indefinite pistoler pistolers
definite pistolerna pistolernas

Derived terms

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See also

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