fowling piece: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 / Extremely RareHistorical / Technical / Literary
Quick answer
What does “fowling piece” mean?
A long-barreled gun, specifically designed for shooting birds (fowl), particularly waterfowl.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A long-barreled gun, specifically designed for shooting birds (fowl), particularly waterfowl.
Historically, a lightweight, smoothbore firearm used in hunting birds before the advent of more specialized modern shotguns. The term now largely denotes an antique firearm.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The term is equally archaic in both varieties.
Connotations
Both associate it with historical or period contexts (e.g., 18th-19th century hunting).
Frequency
Equally obsolete in modern parlance; found only in historical texts, museums, or among antique arms collectors.
Grammar
How to Use “fowling piece” in a Sentence
He carried [a fowling piece].The [antique/old] fowling piece was [loaded/displayed].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fowling piece” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No verb form]
American English
- [No verb form]
adverb
British English
- [No adverbial form]
American English
- [No adverbial form]
adjective
British English
- [No adjectival form. The 'fowling' component is a gerund/verbal noun.]
American English
- [No adjectival form. The 'fowling' component is a gerund/verbal noun.]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in historical, anthropological, or material culture studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used in antique firearms collecting, historical reenactment, and museology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fowling piece”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fowling piece”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fowling piece”
- Using it to refer to any shotgun (anachronistic).
- Spelling as 'fowling peace'.
- Using in a modern context (e.g., 'He took his fowling piece to the clay pigeon shoot').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a type of shotgun, but the term specifically refers to historical (often muzzle-loading) firearms designed for bird hunting. You would not call a modern pump-action or semi-automatic shotgun a 'fowling piece'.
From the 16th through the late 19th centuries, before breech-loading cartridges and modern shotgun designs became dominant.
No, it is an archaic term. Using it in a modern context would sound strange or overly literary. Use 'shotgun' instead for contemporary references.
A fowling piece typically has a smooth bore (no rifling) and was designed to fire multiple small pellets (shot) at flying birds. A rifle has a rifled barrel designed to spin and accurately fire a single projectile (bullet) at a target.
A long-barreled gun, specifically designed for shooting birds (fowl), particularly waterfowl.
Fowling piece is usually historical / technical / literary in register.
Fowling piece: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfaʊ.lɪŋ ˌpiːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfaʊ.lɪŋ ˌpiːs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None specific to this term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a hunter FOWLING (hunting fowl) with a long PIECE (firearm) by a pond.
Conceptual Metaphor
TOOL FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE (A specialised instrument for a defined task).
Practice
Quiz
A 'fowling piece' is best described as: