firelock: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2historical, military, archaic
Quick answer
What does “firelock” mean?
An old-fashioned type of musket with a flintlock mechanism.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An old-fashioned type of musket with a flintlock mechanism.
Primarily refers to historical muskets (17th–early 19th century) where a piece of flint strikes steel to produce sparks and ignite gunpowder. The term is often used to evoke that historical period or its warfare.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Usage is equally historical/archaic in both varieties.
Connotations
Connotes British redcoat armies, colonial wars, Napoleonic wars, or early American militias equally.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects. Slightly higher frequency in British historical texts due to longer military history during its era, but negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “firelock” in a Sentence
The militia carried [firelocks].The museum displayed an 18th-century [firelock].Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
None.
Academic
Used in historical, military history, and material culture research papers describing pre-industrial weaponry.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used by museum curators, historical reenactors, antique arms collectors to specify the ignition mechanism of a period firearm.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “firelock”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “firelock”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “firelock”
- Using it as a general term for any gun.
- Spelling as 'fire lock' (as two words is less common).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Most firelocks were smoothbore muskets, not rifles. 'Rifle' implies spiral grooves in the barrel for accuracy, which most firelocks lacked.
From the early 17th century until largely replaced by percussion cap muskets in the mid-19th century.
No. It is an anachronism. Use 'firearm', 'rifle', or 'gun' for modern weapons.
Its firing mechanism: a spring-held piece of flint that strikes a steel frizzen, creating sparks to ignite the priming powder.
An old-fashioned type of musket with a flintlock mechanism.
Firelock is usually historical, military, archaic in register.
Firelock: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪə.lɒk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪr.lɑːk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to shoulder a firelock (archaic: to enlist as a soldier)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A FIRELOCK needs a spark from flint to create FIRE and LOCK the mechanism before firing.
Conceptual Metaphor
A TOOL OF EMPIRE / A RELIC OF THE PAST
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'firelock' most specifically?