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firelock. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
firelock, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
firelock in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
firelock you have here. The definition of the word
firelock will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
firelock, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From fire + lock.
Pronunciation
Noun
firelock (plural firelocks)
- (historical) A form of gunlock, in which the priming is ignited by a spark.
- (by extension, historical) A firearm using such a gunlock.
1819 June 23, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Rip Van Winkle”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number I, New York, N.Y.: C S. Van Winkle, , →OCLC, pages 76–77:He looked round for his gun, but in place of the clean well-oiled fowing-piece, he found an old firelock lying by him, the barrel encrusted with rust, the lock falling off, and the stock worm-eaten.
1824, Town and Country Tales, page 115:Alfred, surprised to meet his father, whom he thought absent from home, […] stood, holding his firelock in one hand, and his hat in the other […]
1999, Jakob Grimmelshausen, translated by Mike Mitchell, Simplicius Simplicissimus, Dedalus, published 2016, page 48:Before we were out of the forest, however, we saw about ten peasants, some armed with firelocks [translating Feuer-rohren], others busy burying something.
Translations
firearm using such a gunlock
References
Anagrams