ˈsix-ˌshooter
[See six C. 3.]
A revolver capable of firing six shots without reloading; a six-chambered revolver. Also fig.
| 1844 Nauvoo (Illinois) Neighbor 24 July 3/1 Joseph..opening the door..discharged one barrel of a six shooter (Pistol) in the entry. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. II. xxv. 250 The imaginary powers of the angekok-soak and the marvellous six-shooter which attested them. 1865 Lowell Wks. (1890) V. 267 Every senator seems to carry..a sort of legislative six-shooter. 1883 Harper's Mag. Jan. 207/2 A valiant wielder of the brush brought up the rear with a six-shooter. |
| attrib. a 1894 C. H. Pearson in Stebbing Life (1900) 134 There were only two laws..in Julesburg—lynch law and six-shooter law. |
Hence
ˈsix-ˌshooting vbl. n. and ppl. a. Also
ˈsix-ˌshooter v.;
ˈsix-ˌshootering vbl. n.| 1858 T. Viele Following Drum 224 A belt full of pistols,..and a six-shooting rifle. 1887 Illustr. Lond. News 2 Apr. 370 The Home Secretary sees no reason for legally interfering with the unrestricted enjoyment of six-shooting. 1896 Daily News 24 Jan. 3/4 By his side was a six-shooting revolver. 1904 P. Fountain Great North-West xx. 242, I never was so near six-shootering myself as I was that night. 1909 ‘O. Henry’ Roads of Destiny xxii. 371 We heard a yelling and a six-shootering. |