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Crossword clues for firelock

The Collaborative International Dictionary
Firelock

Firelock \Fire"lock`\, n. An old form of gunlock, as the flintlock, which ignites the priming by a spark; perhaps originally, a matchlock. Hence, a gun having such a lock.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
firelock

type of gun lock that uses sparks to ignite the priming, 1540s, from fire (n.) + lock (n.). Originally of the wheel-lock; transferred 17c. to the flintlock.

Wiktionary
firelock

n. An old form of gunlock, as the flintlock, which ignites the priming by a spark.

WordNet
firelock

n. a muzzle loader having a flintlock type of gunlock [syn: flintlock]

Usage examples of "firelock".

O that I had but the barrel of that firelock I throwed away, and that wasted powder to prime and load!

Almost as an afterthought, he twisted in his saddle and with a flash of gold brocade produced from the folds of his cloak a firelock pistol.

It was an evil-looking weapon, heavy and awkward, a huge firelock I had purchased many years earlier from a blind, one-legged Civil War veteran who had taken to begging outside my shop.

I even discovered the firelock on the bottom step, apparently untouched.

All the same, I removed the firelock from my book bag and set it beside the bed.

I kept walking north, the firelock chafing at my thigh and poking my hip.

Having been always fond of shooting, I took a firelock and went in pursuit of wild ducks, which abounded throughout the bog.

He was quivering at attention, his clay pipe thrust into a pocket and his firelock by his side.

He looked round for his gun, but in place of the clean well-oiled fowling-piece, he found an old firelock lying by him, the barrel encrusted with rust, the lock falling off, and the stock worm-eaten.

He shook his head, shouldered the rusty firelock, and, with a heart full of trouble and anxiety, turned his steps homeward.

He took time to blow upon that slowmatch, but then, as he harbored scant faith in the ability of the ancient, ill-balanced and woefully inaccurate firelock to accomplish anything more of value than a loud noise to alert the camp, he reined up long enough to check by a vagrant beam of moonlight that the priming had not shaken from out the pan of his new wheel-lock pistol.

Hot ordnance split and shiver and rebound, And firelocks fouled and flintless overstrew the ground.

On this occasion word had been secretly passed round for every man to slip a slug into his firelock, instead of the blank cartridge provided.

He took time to blow upon that slowmatch, but then, as he harbored scant faith in the ability of the ancient, ill-balanced and woefully inaccurate firelock to accomplish anything more of value than a loud noise to alert the camp, he reined up long enough to check by a vagrant beam of moonlight that the priming had not shaken from out the pan of his new wheellock pistol.