gunslinger

English

Etymology

From gun +‎ slinger.

Noun

gunslinger (plural gunslingers)

1. (historical) A person in the Old West who carried a gun and was an expert at quickly drawing it and firing.
   • 2016 October 2, David Sims, “Westworld Is a Grand Saga of Gunslingers and Robots”, in The Atlantic‎^[1]:

     Along with Dolores, there’s Teddy (James Marsden), a heroic-seeming gunslinger looking for adventure.

2. (by extension) A person who behaves with the reckless bravado expected of someone who would duel with guns.
   • 1995, Nick Hornby, High Fidelity, London: Victor Gollancz, →ISBN, page 142:

     HIP YOUNG GUNSLINGERS WANTED (BASS, DRUMS, GUITAR) FOR NEW BAND. MUST BE INTO REM, PRIMAL SCREAM, FANCLUB ETC. CONTACT BARRY IN THE SHOP.

   • 2005, Daniel A. Strachman, Getting Started in Hedge Funds, page 3:

     The perception of the hedge fund world is that of gunslingers and traders who manage billions of dollars by the seat of their pants.

Derived terms

• gunslinger effect

Related terms

• gunslinging

Translations

person expert at the quick draw

• Catalan: pistoler m
• Czech: pistolník (cs) m
• Danish: revolvermand c
• Finnish: pyssymies (fi)
• French: as de la gâchette m
• German: Revolverheld (de) m
• Hungarian: fegyverforgató (hu)
• Italian: pistolero (it) m
• Romanian: pistolar (ro) m
• Russian: гансли́нгер m (ganslínger), стрело́к (ru) m (strelók)
• Spanish: pistolero (es) m
• Swedish: revolverman c

person behaves with the bravado of a gunslinger