handgun

/ˈhændɡʌn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhændɡʌn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhan(d)-ˌgən/ (ame, mw)

handgun — noun

  • handgunsingular
  • handgunsplural

1. a small weapon you fire by gripping it in one hand, like a pistol or a revolver,

1.名詞B2
釋義

a small weapon you fire by gripping it in one hand, like a pistol or a revolver, without resting it on your shoulder.

例句

Felix kept a licensed handgun in a locked safe beside his bed.

collocation: licensed handgun, locked safe

The police officer drew her handgun before stepping into the dark warehouse.

collocation: drew + handgun (typical action verb)

同義詞
  • pistol

    more specific — usually a semi-automatic handgun with a magazine in the grip

  • revolver

    specific — a handgun with a rotating cylinder holding the rounds

  • sidearm

    military or police register — a handgun worn on a belt as a secondary weapon

反義詞
  • rifle

    long-barrelled firearm fired from the shoulder

  • shotgun

    long-barrelled firearm that fires a spread of small pellets

用法筆記

Distinguish from sibling firearm terms: a handgun fits in one hand (pistol, revolver), while a rifle or shotgun is braced against the shoulder. The word is the standard cover term in legal and news contexts (gun-control statutes, crime reports).

常見錯誤

❌Emre carried a handgun rifle on the hunt.
✅Emre carried a rifle on the hunt.
💡a handgun and a rifle are different categories of firearm; the two words cannot stack.