Betsy slang or dial. (orig. U.S.).
(ˈbɛtsɪ)
Also Bessy, Betsey, and with lower-case initial.
[Var. betty n.]
A gun or pistol; spec. one's favourite gun; freq. old Betsy.
| 1856 Spirit of Age (Sacramento) 4 Nov. 3/1 Jest let them raise that check agin me, and if I don't shoot why old Betsy won't blizzard. 1869 New No. West (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 20 Aug. 2/7 Mr Fredericks proceeded immediately on the horse, loaded ‘Betsey’, (his shot gun). 1895 P. H. Emerson Marsh Leaves liv. 137 Potter had a long-barrelled gun, his ‘old Bessy’, and I took my eyes along with me. 1965 J. P. Carstairs Concrete Kimono v. 48 ‘You've noticed I'm toting a Betsy.’ ‘Betsy?’ ‘Equalizer, rod, gat, iron.’ 1969 Win 15 May 12/2 Emotionally, the satisfying thing to fantasize is grabbing ole betsy and going to join my black brothers in Wayne County. |