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
pistols 1 of 2
noun
as in dynamos
a very energetic person a real pistol, she dances rings around the other performers Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- dynamos
- fireballs
- powerhouses
- live wires
- achievers
- bootstrappers
- enterprisers
- comers
- highflyers
- hustlers
- hummers
- dashers
- highfliers
- doers
- go-aheads
- go-getters
- self-starters
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- loafers
- idlers
- triflers
- loungers
- slugs
- dawdlers
- shirkers
- goldbricks
- drones
- slackers
- sluggards
- couch potatoes
- deadbeats
- slouches
- slugabeds
- layabouts
- loiterers
- clock-watchers
- laggards
- lingerers
- lazybones
- slowpokes
- dalliers
- do-nothings
- stick-in-the-muds
pistols
2 of 2verb
as in shotguns
Synonyms & Similar Words
- shotguns
- guns
- peppers
- machine-guns
- potshots
- blazes
- tommy-guns
- fires (at)
- dispatches
- blasts (at)
- kills
- massacres
- slays
- destroys
- ices
- drills
- brings down
- fells
- butchers
- picks off
- slaughters
- shoots down
- blows away
- snipes (at)
- wipes out
- does in
- plugs
- croaks
- blots out
- annihilates
- shoots
- decimates
- pops
- drops
