pistol
noun
pis·tol ˈpi-stᵊl 
1
: a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel
broadly : handgun
2
: a notably sharp, spirited, or energetic person
pistol transitive verb
Synonyms
- dynamo
- fireball
- live wire
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a real pistol, she dances rings around the other performers
Recent Examples on the Web But in Georgia, an 18-year-old could legally possess a handgun, and Evan thought of the pistol as his own. 
Stephanie Mccrummen, Washington Post, 31 July 2022 Police then spotted the handgrip of a pistol under the driver’s seat. Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 29 July 2022 He was charged in 2020 with marijuana possession, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a pistol or revolver by a person under 18, and not wearing a motorcycle helmet, according to court records. Alexis Stevens, ajc, 8 June 2022 Kay Ivey doesn’t need the false assurance of a pistol in her pocket. al, 18 May 2022 Jewayne Price, 22, was arrested the day of the shooting and was charged with unlawful carrying of a pistol, police said in a news release. Jamiel Lynch, CNN, 18 Apr. 2022 Police had arrested Price on suspicion of unlawful possession of a pistol after initially taking him in for questioning, the Columbia Police Department said. NBC News, 18 Apr. 2022 Jewayne Price, 22, was arrested Sunday and charged with unlawful carrying of a pistol, but Holbrook said more charges are coming. Paul Best, Fox News, 18 Apr. 2022 Price will be charged with unlawful carrying of a pistol and may face other charges, according to a police release. Cady Stanton, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2022 See More
Stephanie Mccrummen, Washington Post, 31 July 2022 Police then spotted the handgrip of a pistol under the driver’s seat. Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 29 July 2022 He was charged in 2020 with marijuana possession, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a pistol or revolver by a person under 18, and not wearing a motorcycle helmet, according to court records. Alexis Stevens, ajc, 8 June 2022 Kay Ivey doesn’t need the false assurance of a pistol in her pocket. al, 18 May 2022 Jewayne Price, 22, was arrested the day of the shooting and was charged with unlawful carrying of a pistol, police said in a news release. Jamiel Lynch, CNN, 18 Apr. 2022 Police had arrested Price on suspicion of unlawful possession of a pistol after initially taking him in for questioning, the Columbia Police Department said. NBC News, 18 Apr. 2022 Jewayne Price, 22, was arrested Sunday and charged with unlawful carrying of a pistol, but Holbrook said more charges are coming. Paul Best, Fox News, 18 Apr. 2022 Price will be charged with unlawful carrying of a pistol and may face other charges, according to a police release. Cady Stanton, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle French pistole, from German, from Middle High German pischulle, from Czech píšt'ala, literally, pipe, fife; akin to Czech pištět to squeak
First Known Use
circa 1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing pistol
Kids Definition
pistol
noun
pis·tol ˈpi-stᵊl
: a small gun made to be aimed and fired with one hand
pistoling
verb
variants or pistolling
as in potshotting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- potshotting
- shotgunning
- firing (at)
- shooting down
- blasting (at)
- bringing down
- wiping out
- picking off
- tommy-gunning
- peppering
- doing in
- killing
- blowing away
- blotting out
- sniping (at)
- blazing
- destroying
- slaying
- dispatching
- drilling
- slaughtering
- machine-gunning
- icing
- decimating
- gunning
- felling
- croaking
- annihilating
- butchering
- plugging
- shooting
- popping
- massacring
- dropping
- deutero-
- deutero-Malay
- deutero-malayan
- deutero-malaysian
- deuterocanonical
- deuterocone
- deuteroconid
- deuterogamies
- deuterogamists
- deuterogamy
- deuterogenesis
- deuteromyceteses
- deuteromycetesses
- deuteromycotae
- deuteromycotas
- deuteromycotinae
- deuteromycotinas
- deuteron
- Deuteronomic
- deuteronomies
- Deuteronomist
- deuteronomistic
- deuteronomists
- Deuteronomy
- deuteronomyes