very pistol
Definition
Noun: A very pistol is a specialized handgun designed to launch signal flares, specifically Very-light flares. It is a safety and signaling device used primarily in maritime, aviation, and outdoor emergency situations to communicate distress or location.
Usage
The term "very pistol" is used to refer to the physical signaling device itself. It is a technical term most common in historical, nautical, and survival contexts. * The ship's emergency kit contained a very pistol and several red flares. * Before modern radios, sailors used a very pistol to send distress signals at night.
Advanced Usage
- The device is named after its inventor, Edward W. Very, an American naval officer. The flares it fires are called "Very lights."
- In contemporary usage, the more generic terms flare gun or signal pistol are often used, though "very pistol" remains correct, especially when referring to historical equipment or specific flare types.
Variants and Related Words
- Flare gun (n): A more common modern synonym for a very pistol.
- Signal pistol (n): Another general term for a device that launches signal flares.
- Very light (n): The type of bright, colored signal flare fired from a very pistol.
Synonyms
- Flare gun
- Signal pistol
- Distress pistol
Related Phrases
- To fire a Very light: To launch a signal flare using a very pistol.
- The stranded climbers fired a Very light to alert the rescue team.
Noun
-
a pistol for firing Very-light flares
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