▪ I. holster, n.
(ˈhəʊlstə(r))
Also 7 hulster, 8 houlster.
[Corresponds to mod.Du. holster (1678 in Hexham) in same sense: cf. also Icel. husltr case, sheath, Sw. hölster, Da. hylster sheath, holster, Goth. hulistr veil; also OE. heolster hiding-place, concealment; all from ablaut stem hel-, hul- to cover. The Ger. holfter, hulfter holster, MHG. hulfter quiver, OHG. hul(u)ft covering, appear to be from a different root. The history of mod. Eng. and Du. holster, before 17th c., does not appear.]
1. A leather case for a pistol fixed to the pommel of a horseman's saddle or worn on the belt.
| 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 391 In th' Holsters, at his Saddle⁓bow Two aged Pistols he did stow. 1677 Lond. Gaz. No. 1163/4 His furniture was a green velvet Saddle with silver Lace, with a pair of Holsters answerable, and Horse Pistols. 1711 Ibid. No. 4897/3 A..Pad-Saddle, made fit for Houlsters. 1816 Scott Antiq. xxxiv, The arrival of a stranger..and a servant in black, which servant had holsters on his saddle-bow and a coronet upon the holsters. 1847 James J. Marston Hall xi, I felt that my pistols were free in the holsters. |
2. attrib. and Comb., as holster-cap, holster-case, holster-pistol; hoster-gall, a gall caused by the chafing of a holster; holster-pipe, ‘that part of a holster which projects downward and receives the barrel of the pistol’ (Cent. Dict.).
| 1688 Lond. Gaz. No. 2407/4 A blew Velvet Saddle with Silver Twist, and new *Holster-Caps of the same. 1846 Hist. Rec. 3rd Light Dragoons 39 The holster Caps and housings having a border of Royal lace. |
| 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge i, A pair of pistols in a *holster-case. |
| 1689 Lond. Gaz. No. 2509/4 A black Mare..with a *Holster Gall. |
| 1679 Lauderdale Papers (Camden) III. xciv. 162 The Troop of Horse..all of y{supm} had *hulsterpistolls. 1858 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. v. ii. I. 545 A pair of military boots or a holster-pistol of superior excellence. |
Hence ˈholstered a., bearing holsters.
| 1812 Byron Ch. Har. i. li, The holster'd steed beneath the shed of thatch. |
▪ II. holster, v. Chiefly U.S.
(ˈhəʊlstə(r))
[f. the n.]
trans. To put (a gun) into its holster. Hence ˈholstered ppl. a.
| 1930 Argosy 12 July 690/2 Both men had holstered rifles on their saddles. 1956 ‘E. McBain’ Cop Hater (1958) iv. 36 ‘We won't need these,’ Bush said. He holstered his gun. 1972 B. F. Conners Don't embarrass Bureau (1973) ii. 113 He holstered his weapon. 1973 R. Hayes Hungarian Game xvii. 108 The guard snatched at his holstered gun. |