Definition

1. Noun:
   • A .45-caliber submachine gun. This is a specific, historical model of portable, automatic firearm.

Usage

• The word "Thompson submachine gun" is a proper noun referring to a specific weapon designed by General John T. Thompson. It is often used in historical, military, or collector contexts.
• It functions as a singular, countable noun. The plural form is "Thompson submachine guns."

Examples

• Noun:
  • The gangster was famously armed with a Thompson submachine gun.
  • The Thompson submachine gun was used by both Allied forces and law enforcement during World War II.
  • Several Thompson submachine guns were on display at the museum.

Advanced Usage

• The term is frequently shortened in informal or historical writing to "Thompson gun" or simply "Tommy gun."
  • The police found a cache of Tommy guns in the basement.

Variants and Related Words

• Tommy gun (n): A common nickname for the Thompson submachine gun.
• Chicago typewriter (n): A historical slang term for the Thompson submachine gun, referencing its use by organized crime in Chicago.
• Submachine gun (n): The general category of firearm to which the Thompson belongs; a lightweight, automatic or semi-automatic firearm that fires pistol-caliber ammunition.

Synonyms

• Automatic weapon: A general term for a firearm that fires continuously while the trigger is pressed.
• Machine pistol: A term sometimes used for compact, fully automatic firearms that fire pistol cartridges, though this is a distinct category from traditional submachine guns.

Related Phrases / Idioms

• While there are no direct idioms using the full term "Thompson submachine gun," its nickname features in cultural references.
• "Talk to my Tommy gun": A phrase evocative of Prohibition-era gangster movies, implying a threat of violence from the weapon.

Noun

1. a .45-caliber submachine gun