horse-pistol

Thân thiện

A cavalry officer draws his horse-pistol from its holster.

Definition

Noun: A large, historically significant firearm. Specifically, a "horse-pistol" is a large pistol, typically carried in a holster, that was formerly used by horsemen or cavalry soldiers. Its size and power were designed to be manageable from horseback.

Usage and Examples

Noun: * The museum displayed a cavalry officer's uniform alongside his polished horse-pistol. * In the 18th century, a pair of horse-pistols was standard equipment for many officers on campaign.

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost exclusively used in a historical or antiquarian context to describe weaponry from the 17th to 19th centuries.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe something outdated but once powerful.
  • His argument was a rhetorical horse-pistol—blunt, forceful, and from a bygone era.

Variants and Related Words

• Holster pistol: A more general term for any pistol designed to be carried in a holster.
• Dragoon pistol: A specific type of large military pistol, closely related to and sometimes synonymous with a horse-pistol.
• Cavalry pistol: A functional descriptor for pistols used by horse-mounted troops.

Synonyms

• Dragoon pistol
• Cavalry pistol
• Holster pistol (in historical contexts)

Antonyms

• Pocket pistol (a small, concealable pistol)
• Derringer (a very small, short-barreled pistol)

Related Phrases

• A brace of pistols: A historical phrase meaning a pair of pistols, often referring to horse-pistols carried by a rider.
  • He armed himself with a brace of horse-pistols before the duel.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a large pistol (usually in a holster) formerly carried by horsemen

Từ đồng nghĩa

• horse pistol