From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
pistol
n : a firearm that is held and fired with one hand [syn:
handgun, side arm, shooting iron]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Pistol \Pis"tol\, n. [F. pistole, pistolet, It. pistola; prob.
from a form Pistola, for Pistoja, a town in Italy where
pistols were first made. Cf. Pistole.]
The smallest firearm used, intended to be fired from one
hand, -- now of many patterns, and bearing a great variety of
names. See Illust. of Revolver.
[1913 Webster]
Pistol carbine, a firearm with a removable but-piece, and
thus capable of being used either as a pistol or a
carbine.
Pistol pipe (Metal.), a pipe in which the blast for a
furnace is heated, resembling a pistol in form.
Pistol shot.
(a) The discharge of a pistol.
(b) The distance to which a pistol can propel a ball.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Pistol \Pis"tol\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pistoled; p. pr. & vb.
n. Pistoling.] [Cf. F. pistoler.]
To shoot with a pistol. "To pistol a poacher." --Sydney
Smith.
[1913 Webster]
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 Sep 2003) [foldoc]:
pistol
[IBM] A tool that makes it all too easy for you to shoot
yourself in the foot. "Unix "rm *" makes such a nice pistol!"
[Jargon File]
From Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) [jargon]:
pistol
n.
[IBM] A tool that makes it all too easy for you to shoot yourself in
the foot. "Unix rm * makes such a nice pistol!"