Definition

Noun: A small, portable firearm designed to be held and operated with one hand. This term is an informal, somewhat dated synonym for a pistol or revolver.

Usage

This term is used informally to refer to a handgun. It often carries a stylistic or historical connotation, sometimes associated with Western or cowboy contexts. * He checked his shooting iron before holstering it. * In the old tales, every cowboy had a trusty shooting iron on his hip.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is primarily used in historical fiction, Western genres, or for stylistic effect to evoke a particular era. It is rarely used in modern, formal contexts discussing firearms.

Variants and Related Words

• Handgun (n): The standard, neutral term for a firearm designed to be fired with one hand.
• Pistol (n): A common term for a handgun, often one where the chamber is integral to the barrel.
• Revolver (n): A type of handgun with a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers.

Synonyms

• Pistol
• Revolver
• Handgun
• Sidearm (often used in a military or law enforcement context)

Related Idioms

• To pack iron: An informal idiom meaning to carry a firearm, especially a handgun.
  • In that dangerous town, it was common for folks to pack iron.

Noun

1. a firearm that is held and fired with one hand