A long discourse and you make some good points to be sure. I am, however, a traditionalist and will go with the older definition. Webster’s has become faddish bends whichever way the wind blows. I say that when the revolver came into widespread use it was called a pistol, evidenced by terms used in the common parlance such as “pistoleros” and “pistol fighters” to describe the man armed with a revolver.
Yes. So when do you begin to see people “correcting” this use of the word pistol and why do they think it matters? Any ideas you have will be interesting.
Was I too long? Sorry I know I am so pedantic. I don’t mean to be. Just send me away when I do that. I don’t want to beat a dead horse, although the horse never seems to mind...