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ˈfirelock
[See lock n.]
1. A gun-lock in which sparks were produced (either by friction or percussion) to ignite the priming.
The name was at first given to the wheel-lock; in the 17th cent. it became transferred to the flint-lock.
1547Inventory in Meyrick Antient Armour III. 15 One chamber pece blacke..with a fier locke. 1625G. M[arkham] Souldiers Accid. 53 Pistolls, Petronells, or Dragons..all these are with fire-lockes, and those fire-lockes (for the most part) Snap-hances. 1639R. Ward Animadv. Warre i. 293 The Firelocke is surest to give fire, and not so apt to be out of kilter; besides they will indure Spand 24 houres together without hurting them. 1655Marquis of Worcester Cent. Inv. No. 44 A perfect Pistol..with Prime, Powder and Fire⁓lock. 1677Ld. Orrery Art of War 31 In the Fire-lock the motion is so sudden, that what makes the Cock fall on the Hammer, strikes the Fire, and opens the Pan at once.
2. A musket furnished with such a lock.
1590Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 47 Whereby they [the stones] should faile to strike iust vpon the wheeles being fire-lockes, or vpon the hammers or steeles, if they be Snap⁓hances. 1625G. M[arkham] Souldiers Accid. 41 They [cuirassiers] shall haue a case of long Pistolls, firelockes (if it may be) but Snaphaunces, where they are wanting. 1630R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 382 Part..carried Fire-lockes of two foot, and the residue Pikes. 1662J. Davies tr. Mandelslo Trav. E. Ind. 51 They have no fire Armes with wheeles, nor yet Fire-locks. 1703Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) V. 305 An agent..is arrived here, to buy 30,000 fire⁓locks. 1811Gen. Doyle in Napier Penins. War (Rtldg.) II. App. 427 Six months have passed without a fire-lock being made! 1869E. A. Parkes Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3) 324 The English army have extemporised tents..by suspending blankets over their firelocks.
3. A soldier armed with such a weapon.
1645R. Symonds Diary Civ. War (Camden) 181/2 Colonel John Russell, with..the Prince's fferelockes, assaulted. 1704Collect. Voy. (Church.) III. 728/2 Where they posted 12 Firelocks. 1801Wellington in Gurw. Desp. I. 285 The other corps..will amount to about 2000 firelocks. 1844H. H. Wilson Brit. India II. 342 The detachment..scarcely mustered nine hundred and fifty firelocks.
4. attrib., as firelock musket, firelock piece.
a1577Gascoigne Compl. Gr. Knt. Weedes (1587) 183 My chaunce was late to haue a peereles firelock peece. 1631Schedule of Prices in Meyrick Ant. Arm. III. 101 For a pair of firelock pistols. a1672Wood Life (1848) 24 Capt. Bunce returned safe..with..six fire-lock musquets. |