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
pistol 1 of 2
noun
as in dynamo
a very energetic person a real pistol, she dances rings around the other performers Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- dynamo
- fireball
- powerhouse
- live wire
- achiever
- bootstrapper
- hummer
- hustler
- highflyer
- doer
- enterpriser
- comer
- highflier
- dasher
- self-starter
- go-getter
- go-ahead
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- loafer
- idler
- trifler
- slug
- lounger
- dawdler
- shirker
- drone
- goldbrick
- slouch
- couch potato
- slacker
- deadbeat
- sluggard
- slugabed
- clock-watcher
- layabout
- loiterer
- lazybones
- laggard
- lingerer
- slowpoke
- dallier
- do-nothing
- stick-in-the-mud
pistol
2 of 2verb
as in to shotgun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- shotgun
- gun
- pepper
- tommy-gun
- machine-gun
- fire (at)
- blast (at)
- blaze
- kill
- potshot
- dispatch
- destroy
- slay
- fell
- ice
- blow away
- slaughter
- snipe (at)
- bring down
- massacre
- drill
- butcher
- pick off
- wipe out
- shoot down
- blot out
- croak
- do in
- annihilate
- decimate
- plug
- shoot
- pop
- drop
- synclitic
- syncoms
- syncopal
- syncopate
- syncopated
- syncopated counterpoint
- syncopated perforation
- syncopates
- syncopating
- syncopation
- syncopations
- syncopative
- syncopator
- syncopators
- syncope
- syncopes
- syncraniate
- syncranium
- syncranterian
- syncranteric
- syncretic
- syncretion
- syncretise
- syncretised
- syncretises